This is the exact workflow I use to turn recon into real payouts.
No fluff. No theory. Just a clear, repeatable path.
If you want results, follow this. If you want excuses, keep reading and do nothing.
Why a workflow matters
Recon without structure is scattershot.
You can spend weeks looking at systems and find nothing.
Or you can work a system, steady, focused, repeatable and turn small wins into real income.
A workflow gives you speed, memory, and edge.
The big picture (short)
- Pick the target and scope.
- Gather everything you can (recon).
- Map attack surfaces.
- Prioritize what to test.
- Test with intent.
- Validate and document.
- Report clean and fast.
- Follow up and iterate.
Do those eight steps every time and you’ll find more bugs.
Before you start: rules and mindset
- Work only in-scope targets.
- Respect disclosure rules and program policies.
- Treat every test as professional work. Be organized.
- Keep short notes. Save your commands and findings.
- Expect failure. A lot of it. Learn quickly and move on.
Mindset over magic. Consistency beats talent if talent is lazy.
Tools I use (starter list)
You don’t need everything. Pick the ones below and learn them well.
- Browser + Burp Suite (or equivalent proxy).
- ffuf / dirsearch for forced browsing.
- Nmap for live hosts and ports.
- gau / waybackpack for historical URLs.
- hakrawler / gowitness for quick snapshots.
- sqlmap for SQL checks (use carefully and in-scope).
- amass for subdomain discovery.
- Masscan for big scans (use responsibly).
- Notion (or markdown) for notes and tracker.
- Git for saving scripts and findings.
Keep the set small. Master a few.
Step 1 – Choose your target and set boundaries
Pick a target with a clear scope.
Start with VDPs, bug bounty programs, or bounty-enabled assets.
Read the policy. Know what’s allowed and what’s not.
Make a short record: target name, scope, program link, contact, reward range.
Write it in Notion or a .md file.
This saves time and keeps you legal.
Step 2 – Passive recon (fast and quiet)
Collect everything you can without touching the target directly.
Why? Passive gives you context and reduces noise.
Do this first:
- Gather subdomains (amass, crt.sh, Assetfinder).
- Pull historical URLs (gau, wayback).
- Search public repos for keys (GitHub search, but only public info).
- Collect JS files and libraries (they leak endpoints and tokens sometimes).
- Check DNS records and service providers.
Save all results. Tag them by source and date.
Step 3 – Active recon (careful and targeted)
Move from passive to active.
Still be careful. Scan small and slow first.
Tasks:
- Port scan the host (nmap with sane flags).
- Crawl the app for hidden endpoints (ffuf, dirsearch).
- Run quick parameter discovery on forms and endpoints.
- Identify auth flows, SSO endpoints, and file upload points.
Log everything and timestamp it.
If something looks worth it, note it in your priority list.
Step 4 – Map the attack surface
Take your recon results and build a map.
A map is just a list of assets with notes:
- Subdomain.example.com – auth flow, upload form, API endpoints.
- api.example.com – JSON endpoints, token headers, CORS policy.
- cdn.example.com – static assets, old libraries.
Use a simple table in Notion or a CSV.
This map becomes your playbook.
Step 5 – Prioritize (value vs effort)
Not every endpoint is worth testing deeply.
Score each asset by potential impact and time needed.
Example quick scoring:
- Impact: 1-5 (5 = high severity).
- Effort: 1-5 (1 = quick test).
Focus on high impact, low effort first.
Compound wins come from repeating this selection.
Step 6 – Test with intent
Testing without intent is noise.
For each high-priority item, ask: what would break here?
Common areas to test:
- Authentication and session management.
- IDOR and access control issues.
- File upload and deserialization.
- Business logic flaws.
- API endpoints and rate limits.
- CORS and token leakage.
Work in small, logical steps. Document every request and response.
Step 7 – Validate and reproduce
If you find something, don’t celebrate yet.
Reproduce it cleanly.
Make a minimal test case that anyone can run.
Record exact steps, requests, payloads, and responses.
Take screenshots, save requests (Burp), and timestamp everything.
If it’s exploitable offline or in a staging setup, try there first.
Step 8 – Write the report (make it easy to triage)
Good reports get paid. Bad reports get ignored.
Keep the report clear and short.
A simple report template:
- Title: Short and specific.
- Impact: What can an attacker do? Why it matters.
- Steps to reproduce: Numbered, minimal steps.
- PoC: Requests, payloads, screenshots.
- Fix: Short suggestion or mitigation idea.
- Severity: Your suggested severity (optional).
Attach files and Burp logs if allowed.
Use bullet points and short lines. The reviewer should not guess.
Step 9 – Submit and follow up
Submit through the program portal or email.
Be professional.
If they ask for more info, give it.
If it’s triaged as low or out of scope, keep calm. Ask politely for the reason.
Track the report status in Notion.
If the company is slow, follow up after a reasonable time.
Daily routine that works (example)
Short, repeatable daily blocks build results.
- 4-5 hours – Active hunting
- Focused session. One target or one domain.
- 1-2 hours – Writeups & evidence
- Clean reports and quick videos or screenshots.
- 1 hour – Learning and tools
- Deep dive a technique or tool.
- 30 minutes – Profiles & outreach
- Update HackerOne, GitHub, LinkedIn.
- 30 minutes – Notion notes and reflection
- Save commands, results, and next targets.
If you finish the key blocks, call it a win for the day.
Weekly and monthly goals
- Weekly: Ship 1 solid writeup. Submit at least 5 high-quality reports.
- Monthly: Reach a revenue milestone or a learning milestone.
- Review failed attempts. Extract patterns. Build a checklist to avoid the same mistakes.
Report template (that i use)
Title: Vulnerability Report – (Vulnerability Name)
Summary
SUMMARY OF VULNERABILITY
Reported By
YOUR NAME (ANY THAT YOU USE)
Severity
ADD SEVERITY HERE
Category
ADD CATEGORY/CATEGORIES HERE
Step to reproduce
- STEPS HERE
Impact
- IMPACT HERE
Remediation
- REMEDIATION HERE
Reference
- REFERENCE HERE
Conclusion
- CONCLUSION HERE
You can get help of chatgpt to generate report just share some things like how you found vulnerability, steps, and vulnerability name if you know what it is then all done.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Spray and pray scanning without targets.
- Poor notes (you forget the steps).
- Bad reports with noisy logs.
- Ignoring scope and policy.
- Being rude in follow-ups.
Stay smart, stay professional.
How to monetize faster
- Turn writeups into paid guides.
- Offer short paid audits to startups.
- Package scans as a service for small companies.
- Teach others: short courses or 1:1 coaching.
- Publish proof and attract consultancy offers.
Pair bug hunting with a clear money plan.
Small wins that compound
- One clear writeup per week.
- One small automation that saves you time.
- One profile update that turns views into gigs.
These things add up.
Final notes – discipline and proof
You don’t need more tools.
You need a system.
One focused routine, repeated.
A tidy Notion with targets, notes, and reports.
And one simple promise: do your high-priority work for 90 days.
If someone else did it, you can do it.
Make one small public claim.
Post it. Track it. Prove it.
