Week 3: When the Drive to Work Fades
Date: 18th Nov 2024–24th Nov 2024
It’s Week 3, and let me tell you — this one’s been a rollercoaster. The date is November 18, 2024, and here I am, battling a familiar feeling. You know the one: when you’ve done well, made some good money, and suddenly, the drive to keep pushing just… disappears. It’s not the first time I’ve felt this, and I know it won’t be the last.
In the first two weeks of this journey, I crushed it — landed some great bounties and felt on top of the world. This week, the fruits of that labor started rolling in; I received three bounties for bugs I reported in Week 2. Sounds great, right? And it is. But there’s a downside too: that post-success lull.
I’ve been in the bug-hunting game long enough to recognize this pattern. When the rewards come in, my mind starts whispering, “You’ve done enough for now.” It’s tempting to listen, but experience has taught me when to push forward and when to step back. Burnout is real, and I’m careful to avoid it.
Despite the mental slowdown, I didn’t completely stop working. My friend and I decided to tackle Amazon’s platform together. We reported a few bugs — exciting ones, at that — but most turned out to be duplicates. That’s always a bit of a buzzkill. Still, I kept reminding myself: it’s all part of the process. Every bug, duplicate or not, builds experience.
One bright spot this week was publishing a new blog post. If you haven’t checked it out yet, here’s the link: The $2,200 ATO Most Bug Hunters Overlooked. It’s a deep dive into a vulnerability that’s easy to miss if you close the intruder too soon. Writing it was a refreshing break from hunting, and I hope it’s helpful for others in the community.
This week wasn’t just about my work, though. Two good friends of mine, Sayaan Alam and 0xrz, published some incredible blog posts, and they’re worth a read.
- Exploiting Freemarker SSTI for Remote Code Execution by Sayaan Alam
- OAuth Non-Happy Path to ATO by 0xrz
Both posts explore advanced topics and showcase creative approaches to bug hunting. Their work is gold if you’re looking for inspiration.
So, what’s the takeaway from Week 3? It’s okay to feel like not working sometimes. It’s OK to take a step back, regroup, and recharge. But it’s also important to recognize when to gently push yourself forward. Balancing these moments is what keeps the flame alive in the long run.
Here’s to keeping that balance — and to whatever Week 4 brings. Let’s see where the journey takes us next!
And Don’t forget to follow me on X: https://x.com/tabaahi_
