35. Careers, Certifications and Bug Bounty
35.6 Responsible Disclosure and Staying Legal
Sometimes you notice a security problem on a site without a bug bounty programme, for example while using it normally.
- Stop at the first sign. Do not dig further, do not download data, do not "prove" more than you already saw.
- Find the right contact:
https://example.com/.well-known/security.txt, a "responsible disclosure" page, or the company's security email. - Report privately and politely with minimal details needed to understand the issue. Never demand money – asking for payment in exchange for not publishing can be treated as extortion.
- Give them time to fix it, and do not publish without permission.
- Government systems: report vulnerabilities in Indian government or critical systems to CERT-In (see its vulnerability reporting instructions on cert-in.org.in) or NCIIPC for critical infrastructure.
- Keep your own notes of what you did and when, in case questions come later.
Ravindra Bagale's Tip
"Mi fakt help karat hoto" he kayadyasamor karan nahi, jar tumhi permission shivay test kela tar. Chukun bug disla – thamba, note kara, report kara. Aani kadhich company la "paise dya nahitar publish karto" asa message pathvu naka – to seva nahi, gunha aahe.
Practice task
Check whether three well-known websites publish a security.txt file at /.well-known/security.txt (just open the URL in a browser – this is public). Draft a polite responsible-disclosure email for a fictional issue on "Sahyadri Travels" with only the minimum details.
Career quick reference
| Goal | Next step |
|---|---|
| First job | SOC L1 or VAPT trainee; strong networking + Linux + one SIEM |
| Foundation certificate | Security+, ISC2 CC or AWS Cloud Practitioner |
| Hands-on pentest | eJPT or CEH, then OSCP or PNPT |
| Cloud security | AWS Security Specialty with a real AWS hardening project |
| Practice | TryHackMe, PortSwigger Academy, Hack The Box, local labs |
| Proof | GitHub lab notes, write-ups, honest LinkedIn profile |
| Earn legally | Bug bounty within scope; responsible disclosure otherwise |