This is my experience with the Boog Bounty program and how I got money from Meta.

 

How I Got Paid by Meta Through Their Bug Bounty Program – My Full Experience

I've always been interested in tech, and recently I started exploring the area of cybersecurity. One of the things that actually intrigued me the most was the concept of Bug Bounty programs. For the uninformed, companies such as Meta (previously Facebook) invite ethical hackers and researchers to find and disclose security vulnerabilities in return for rewards. It's a mutual benefit helping the site become more secure, and getting paid for it.

I wasn't sure if I could find anything important initially. But after researching, reading previous reports, and understanding the way these sites function, I decided to give it a shot. I was attacking Meta's infrastructure and looked for any unusual behavior or potential weaknesses. I did not expect to find anything important, but I kept going and continued testing nonetheless.

After a few days of research and reading, I discovered something that didn't seem quite right. I did some more digging and discovered that it might be a potential weakness that might impact user data in specific circumstances. I documented all the information carefull what the bug was, how to replicate it, what the risks might be, and suggestions on how to fix it.

Then comes the nervous part: reporting. I submitted it through Meta's Bug Bounty official platform and waited. Honestly, I didn't have much hope for it. A few days down the line, I received word from their security team confirming they were able to replicate the bug and that they agreed with me.

A few weeks later, I got an email stating that I was being rewarded for turning in my work. I couldn't believe it! Meta paid me as a token of appreciation for helping them secure their platform. Not only was it exciting to be paid this way, but it was also such a rewarding experience to know that I contributed to making the internet a safer place.

This experience energized me with so much passion to keep learning and keep hunting. If you have an interest in technology, security, or ethics of hacking, I highly recommend that you explore Bug Bounty programs. You don't need to be a guru to start just curious, determined, and willing to learn.

There are lots of resources out there that can help you get started. And who knows, you might even end up being paid for your efforts by one of the biggest tech companies in the world as I have!