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zseano:reporting

Writing Good Reports

A good report is what separates a bounty from a duplicate or a N/A. Good reports build reputation and get private invites.

Report Structure

Title: [Bug Type] on [Feature/Endpoint] leads to [Impact]

Examples:

  • “Stored XSS in profile bio via unsanitized <script> tag leads to account takeover”
  • “CSRF on email change endpoint allows attacker to take over any account”
  • “Open Redirect at /oauth/callback chains with OAuth to steal access tokens”

Required Sections

  1. Title – descriptive, specific, includes impact
  2. Severity – Critical / High / Medium / Low with justification
  3. Summary – 2-3 sentences: what is the bug, where is it, what can an attacker do
  4. Steps to Reproduce – numbered, exact, reproducible from scratch
  5. Proof of Concept – working PoC code, screenshots, or video
  6. Impact – concrete damage an attacker can cause
  7. Remediation – suggested fix

Steps to Reproduce

Be so precise that a developer who has never seen this bug can reproduce it on the first try:

  1. Numbered steps
  2. Exact URLs
  3. Exact payloads
  4. Expected vs actual result
  5. What account types/permissions are needed

Proof of Concept

PoC or GTFO. Show impact with:

  • Working exploit code (JavaScript, HTML, curl commands)
  • Screenshot of data exfiltrated or action performed
  • Video walkthrough for complex chains
  • Clear before/after showing the exploit succeeded

Common Reasons Reports Get Rejected

  • No PoC – “this could theoretically…”
  • Impact too vague – “attacker could use this for phishing”
  • Steps not reproducible – missing account setup, missing exact URL
  • Out of scope target
  • Already known / duplicate
  • Requires unlikely user interaction

Building Relationships

  • Respond promptly to triager questions
  • Be helpful, not adversarial, when they push back
  • If they disagree on severity, explain your reasoning with evidence
  • Treat it as a collaboration – they want to fix bugs too
  • Good reputation = private program invites = less competition

See Also

zseano/reporting.txt · Last modified: by drew

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