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I’m excited to introduce "From Zero to [BAC] Hero", a new The Bug Hunter’s Methodology expansion by Zwink aka the iDorminator.
Zwink is the #1 US-based hacker on Bugcrowd, and ranked Top 10 globally for critical impact bugs. In this course, he takes you from the absolute basics to real-world bug bounty hunting; with a spotlight on his favorite vuln class: Broken Access Control (BAC).
This course starts at true zero. If you're new to security, just getting into bug bounty, or coming from dev/red team work, this is your on-ramp. You’ll learn how to set up your proxy, explore real endpoints, dissect session cookies, and test for BAC and IDOR vulnerabilities that scanners and AI constantly miss.
Where does this fit with TBHM CORE?
While The Bug Hunter’s Methodology: CORE dives deep into advanced recon and web analysis, BAC Hero is perfect as either a pre-req or a follow-up. It fills in key fundamentals that are assumed in CORE, especially around live target setup and web basics. it also adds standalone depth on BAC-style bugs that make it a strong companion no matter where you're at.
If you’re looking for a course that gets you hunting fast this is the one.
== SYLLABUS ==
1) Course Foundations & Mental Model
• What bug bounty is — and isn’t
• Building a mindset: curiosity, context, and real-world thinking
• Setting realistic goals: from $100/month to full-time
• How top hackers win: manual > automation > scanner noise
2) Browser, Burp, and the Real Web
• Using Firefox as a hacking tool
• Inspecting real requests with F12 → traffic, cookies, and endpoints
• Installing and configuring Burp Suite (with HTTPS proxying)
• The difference between GET/POST/PUT/PATCH/DELETE — and what that tells us
3) HTTP Status Codes, Cookies, and Headers
• Reading requests like a hacker
• Interpreting status codes (200 vs 403 vs 500 vs 429)
• Cookie scoping, session tracking, and CSRF markers
• How headers leak architecture, origin rules, and user state
4) Subdomain Recon, Liveliness Testing & GAU
• Discovering assets with gau, waybackurls, and passive tooling
• Checking “liveliness” and fingerprinting what’s running
• Why 403 ≠ useless (and why 404s can still teach you something)
• Common missteps in scoping: what “wildcard” really means
5) Authenticated Reconnaissance on Real Targets
• Creating test accounts on live platforms (Bugcrowd, Etsy, etc.)
• Understanding the “hacker portal” vs the real user experience
• How to safely explore features like avatar uploads and settings
• Building session context before touching Burp
6) Intercepting and Analyzing Auth Flows
• Cookie-based session vs. Authorization headers (Bearer/JWT)
• Live walkthrough: setting, breaking, and replaying session tokens
• Understanding JWT payloads: claims, roles, and expiry
• Common JWT mistakes that lead to full account takeover
7) Broken Access Control (BAC) and IDOR Testing
• Manual techniques to find IDOR in APIs and JSON responses
• Reading Burp traffic: how objects, parameters, and cookies all lie
• UserID vs. UUID vs. GUID — and what’s actually private
• Testing with no cookies, wrong cookies, or someone else’s session
8) Logging and Repeating Bug Payloads
• Using Burp Repeater for proper test structuring
• Making sense of JSON response objects: where data hides
• Replay vs resend: why tiny changes reveal deep flaws
• How to identify and isolate vulnerable endpoints in large apps
9) Exploring LIVE Targets Like [REDACTED] and [REDACTED]
• Real-time bug hunting examples: from product listings to payment APIs
• Why “safe” endpoints (stats, analytics, avatars) often leak data
• Turning user profile updates into bug chains
• Responsible testing: how to explore without harming real users
10) Advanced Observations
• Hidden APIs from JavaScript parsing and dev tools
• Using Notepad++ to extract routes, tokens, and endpoints
• Common developer mistakes: exposed loaders, bad filters, wrong cookies
• How to build recon habits that scale with every program
Having dedicated years to the cybersecurity community, I've decided it's time to embark on a new journey—launching Arcanum Information Security, infused with a unique approach that sets us apart. At Arcanum, our mission is to make a tangible impact on the security community with world class, modern, and accessible training. In parallel to our training efforts, Arcanum aims to disrupt the consulting model with our unique consulting services.
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