Hunting for .git Exposed Directories: A Lucrative Bug Bounty Opportunity

In the world of bug bounty hunting, sometimes the simplest discoveries can lead to significant rewards. Recently, a security researcher stumbled upon an exposed .git
directory on a website and earned a whopping $20,000 bounty. This discovery highlights an often overlooked but potentially critical vulnerability that you, as a bug bounty hunter, should be aware of.
Why are exposed .git directories dangerous?
The .git
directory contains version control information for a project. If exposed, it can reveal sensitive information such as:
- Source code
- Configuration files
- Credentials or API keys
- Internal server structures
This information can be a goldmine for attackers, potentially leading to more severe vulnerabilities or direct system compromise.
How to hunt for exposed .git directories
To capitalize on this opportunity, you can use the following command for mass hunting of exposed .git
directories:
cat domains.txt | grep "SUCCESS" | gf urls | httpx-toolkit -sc -server -cl -path "/.git/" -mc 200 -location -ms "Index of" -probe< /code>
Let's break down this command:
cat domains.txt
: Read a list of domains from a filegrep "SUCCESS"
: Filter for successful resultsgf urls
: Extract URLs using gf toolhttpx-toolkit
: A powerful HTTP toolkit for probing-sc -server -cl
: Show status code, server, and content length-path "/.git/"
: Check for the .git directory-mc 200
: Match only HTTP 200 responses-location
: Follow redirects-ms "Index of"
: Match string "Index of" in the response-probe
: Perform probing
Responsible disclosure and ethical considerations
While this method can be effective, it's crucial to remember the importance of ethical hacking and responsible disclosure. Always ensure you have permission to test the target systems and report any findings through proper channels.
Conclusion
Exposed .git
directories represent a significant security risk and a potentially lucrative opportunity for bug bounty hunters. By incorporating this technique into your toolkit, you might just land your next big bounty. Happy hunting, and remember to always hack responsibly!
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