Mastering Recon for Bug Hunters, Part 4: Advanced Strategies & Real-World Examples

Welcome back to the final installment of our Mastering Recon for Bug Hunters series! In Part 4, we’re diving deep into the most advanced, unique, and lesser-known techniques that will elevate your recon skills to a professional level. We’ll go beyond the basics and explore innovative tactics used by top bug hunters. This guide aims to help you uncover hidden vulnerabilities and get the recognition you deserve in bug bounty programs.

1. DNS Zone Transfers and Misconfigured DNS Records

What Is DNS Zone Transfer?

DNS zone transfer is a process where a DNS server shares its entire DNS zone file with another server. If a DNS server is not properly configured, it may allow anyone to request this file, revealing all subdomains, internal servers, and network structure of the target.

Real-World Scenario:

A researcher targeted a small financial company’s DNS server and found it misconfigured. By performing a zone transfer, they gained access to a list of all subdomains, including admin panels and internal tools. This led to the discovery of several vulnerable endpoints, resulting in a high-severity bug report.