An introduction to reconnaissance and why it is one of the most important phases in bug bounty research.
Reconnaissance is the foundation of every successful bug bounty investigation. Before testing a system for vulnerabilities, researchers must first understand the structure of the target. This process involves collecting information such as domains, subdomains, endpoints, and technologies used by the application.
Many bug hunters begin with subdomain enumeration to identify additional assets owned by the organization. These assets often expose forgotten services or outdated applications that may contain security weaknesses. After gathering subdomains, researchers verify which hosts are live and then search for parameters, directories, and APIs.
Effective reconnaissance allows a hunter to map the attack surface of the target. Instead of blindly testing the main website, the researcher focuses on areas where vulnerabilities are more likely to exist. In bug bounty programs, strong reconnaissance skills often lead to discovering hidden entry points that other testers might overlook.
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