Table of Contents

• Introduction
• Why Choose CBBH?
• Course Structure and Content
• The Exam Experience
  • Format
  • Personal Exam Insights
• Breakdown of Daily Operations
  • Testing Phase: Day 1
  • Testing Phase: Day 2
  • Testing Phase: Day 3
  • Testing Phase: Day 4
  • Testing Phase: Day 5
  • Testing Phase: Day 6
• Key Tips for Success
• Common Pitfalls to Avoid
• Future Path
• Conclusion
• Resources

Introduction

After successfully completing the Hack The Box Certified Bug Bounty Hunter (CBBH) certification, I wanted to share my experience to help aspiring security professionals prepare for this challenging but rewarding journey. This certification stands out in the crowded field of web application security certifications for its practical approach and real-world applicability.

Why Choose CBBH?

CBBH caught my attention for several compelling reasons. Unlike many other certifications that require periodic renewal, CBBH has no expiration date – once you earn it, it’s yours for life.

Although, what really sold me on CBBH was its thoroughly modern curriculum. In the fast-paced world of cybersecurity, working with outdated material is a recipe for disaster. HTB consistently updates their content to reflect current security challenges and real-world scenarios. The pricing structure was also refreshingly reasonable, especially considering the depth and quality of the content provided.

But perhaps the most impressive aspect was its hands-on approach. Rather than drowning in theoretical concepts, I found myself actively working with real vulnerabilities and exploitation techniques. Every skill I learned felt immediately applicable to real-world scenarios, which is exactly what I was looking for in a certification program.

In summary, the cybersecurity certification landscape is filled with options, but CBBH distinguished itself through several key features:

• No expiration date on the certification
• Up-to-date curriculum reflecting current security challenges
• Extremely practical, hands-on learning approach
• Reasonable pricing structure
• Knowledge transferability to real-world scenarios

Course Structure and Content

The course progression is thoughtfully structured, but don’t let that fool you – some modules will really test your limits. In my experience, the below three modules stood out as particularly challenging and were probably the ones I learnt more from:

1. Command Injections
2. File Upload Attacks
3. SQLMap

Pro Tip: PortSwigger Academy proved invaluable for these challenging modules. Their labs offer excellent additional practice, especially for first two topics. I highly recommend supplementing your HTB Academy learning with PortSwigger’s resources.

The Exam Experience

Format

• Duration: 7 days.
• Environment: Black box testing approach.
• Deliverable: Professional penetration testing report with provided template.
• Pass Requirement: 80 points minimum.

Personal Exam Insights

The exam was an eye-opening experience that challenged me in ways I hadn’t expected. While the course labs were excellent preparation, the exam took things to another level entirely. What struck me most was how elegantly it was designed – it wasn’t just about finding individual vulnerabilities, but understanding how they could work together.

Most of the flags required me to think several steps ahead, combining different types of vulnerabilities in creative ways. There were moments when I found myself diving into edge cases that were only briefly touched upon in the course material. This isn’t a criticism of the course – quite the opposite. Everything you need is there, but the exam challenges you to apply that knowledge in clever, unexpected ways.

A word of caution about automated tools: if you’re planning to pass this exam by running sqlmap, sstimap, or other automated tooling, you might want to reconsider your approach. The exam is specifically crafted to make automation less effective, forcing you to truly understand the underlying concepts. This is something I deeply appreciated about the exam’s design. In real-world bug hunting, automated tools can sometimes miss the most interesting vulnerabilities, and this exam drives that point home beautifully.

One strategy that worked well for me was to move between different applications during the reconnaissance phase. Don’t get tunnel vision on a single application – if you’re stuck, move on and come back later with fresh eyes. I remember the boost of confidence I got from finding my first “easy” flag. It helped me settle into a rhythm and approach the more challenging aspects with a clearer mind.

I should mention that my background as a web application and API penetration tester definitely gave me an advantage. The practical experience of dealing with real-world applications helped me spot patterns and potential vulnerability chains more quickly.

Saying this, I particularly appreciate that HTB includes two attempts with each voucher, because I don’t think that someone with 0 experience and just after finishing the course is going to pass on the first try.

Even with my experience, there were moments when I had to step back, rethink my approach, and try new angles.

If you are interested, below you can find a bit of what my schedule was during the exam days.

Breakdown of Daily Operations

Testing Phase: Day 1

Breakdown: My morale was really high at the end of day 1, 4 flags out of 10 was really good, I wasn’t expecting to find so many on the first day. Went to bed early to go back at it fresh Day 2 morning time.

Testing Phase: Day 2

Breakdown: My morale went a bit down after spending the entire morning without finding a flag, but finding the 5th flag early in the afternoon boosted my confidence and it ended up being a good day. Ended the day with 60 points, any 2 flags would give me a passing grade.

Testing Phase: Day 3

Breakdown: Probably the worse day of them all, no found flags, morale was going down like a falcon going after a fish, brain was getting fried after so many hours without any dopamine hit of finding a flag, decided to stop really early because I wasn’t thinking straight, bit of a headache too.

Testing Phase: Day 4

Breakdown: In hindsight having stopped early the day before was the smartest choice to make, I was getting frustrated and nothing was going well for me, good feeling from having finished the exam.

Report Phase: Day 5

Breakdown: Procrastinated a bit in the morning, which was a reward from myself to myself from having passed the exam, I had spent several hours per day in the testing phase, my body felt like it needed a break. Managed to get about 40% of the report done.

Report Phase: Day 6

Breakdown: Used the morning to myself, had things to do. From 2pm to 11pm almost non stop, very few breaks, really wanted to get this done by the end of today. Report ended up with 60 pages.

NOTE: Even though I didn’t start to write the report from the very beginning, I took really good notes of commands, payloads, and steps along with clear screenshots and PoCs.

Key Tips for Success

Success in CBBH isn’t just about technical knowledge – it’s also about approach and methodology. Documentation became important throughout this journey. Take screenshots liberally, and don’t just document your successes – failed attempts often contain valuable lessons that can help you adjust your approach.

Developing a methodical approach was crucial to my success. I started each assessment by creating a systematic testing methodology, forcing myself to step back regularly and review all possible attack vectors before diving deep into any particular one. This discipline helped me avoid the common trap of tunnel vision that I’ve seen many others fall into.

Report writing deserves special attention. The provided template is your friend, but it’s how you use it that matters. I focused on writing clear, concise vulnerability descriptions and providing actionable remediation recommendations. Remember, you’re writing for both technical and non-technical audiences, so clarity is key. Maintain professional independence in your recommendations – suggest solutions without trying to rewrite the client’s entire codebase.

Practice makes perfect, and in cybersecurity, this couldn’t be truer. I made sure to complete every lab thoroughly, supplementing HTB’s content with PortSwigger Academy’s exercises. Creating personal cheat sheets became an invaluable practice, giving me quick reference materials tailored to my learning style.

TLDR;

1. Documentation is Crucial
   • Record every command, payload, and step
   • Take clear screenshots for your report
   • Document both successful and failed attempts
2. Methodical Approach
   • Don’t fall into tunnel vision
   • Create a systematic testing methodology
   • Review all possible attack vectors before diving deep
3. Report Writing
   • Use the provided template
   • Focus on clear vulnerability descriptions
   • Include actionable remediation recommendations
   • Maintain professional independence in recommendations
4. Practice Environment
   • Complete all module labs thoroughly
   • Use PortSwigger Academy for additional practice
   • Create personal cheat sheets for quick reference

Common Pitfalls to Avoid

Through my CBBH journey, I encountered several pitfalls that I hope you can learn from. Tunnel vision was my biggest enemy early on. It’s tempting to fixate on a particular attack vector, but I learned to force myself to step back regularly and reassess my approach. Sometimes, the solution was hiding in plain sight, only visible when looking at the bigger picture.

Don’t leave report writing to the last day. Start documenting as you go – your future self will thank you.

Perhaps the most important lesson was about tool dependency. While automated tools have their place, relying on them exclusively is a path to failure. The exam is specifically designed to require understanding of underlying concepts and manual exploitation techniques. I spent considerable time practicing manual exploitation methods, which proved invaluable during the exam. Remember, in real-world scenarios, automated tools won’t always save you – deep understanding will.

1. Tunnel Vision
   • Don’t fixate on a single attack vector
   • Regularly step back and reassess your approach
2. Time Management
   • Seven days seems long but passes quickly
   • Allocate specific time blocks for testing and documentation
   • Don’t leave report writing to the last day
3. Tool Dependency
   • Don’t rely solely on automated tools
   • Understand the underlying concepts
   • Practice manual exploitation, automated tools won’t save you

Future Path

After obtaining the CBBH certification, my next goal is the Burp Suite Certified Practitioner (BSCP). This certification, offered by the makers of Burp Suite, is widely considered the crème de la crème of web application security certifications. It’s a natural progression from CBBH and will further enhance my web application security testing skills.

Conclusion

The CBBH certification is challenging but extremely well-structured. While the course material thoroughly covers all necessary concepts, the exam pushes you to think creatively and apply your knowledge in non-obvious ways. The emphasis on manual testing over automation reflects real-world bug hunting scenarios, making this certification particularly valuable. Success in this exam, much like in real-world bug hunting, comes from methodical testing, creative thinking, and thorough understanding of web application security concepts.

Resources

• https://github.com/livewireza/cbbh/tree/main
• https://github.com/20dani09/CBBH/tree/master
• https://github.com/TheUnknownSoul/HTB-certified-bug-bounty-hunter-exam-cheetsheet/tree/master
• https://github.com/Ferdibrgl/HTB-certifiedCBBH
• https://github.com/Touexe/CBBH
• https://github.com/reewardius/HTB_CBBH_Writeup/tree/main