In this episode of The BlueHat Podcast, host Nic Fillingham and Wendy Zenone are joined by Brad Schlintz, independent security researcher and bug bounty hunter. Brad shares how he transitioned from a decade-long career as a software engineer to hacking Microsoft products while traveling the world with his wife. He recounts his early days tinkering with RuneScape bots, his experience working in SharePoint and Azure at Microsoft, and the moment he first encountered a real-world cybersecurity incident. He also discusses his journey into ethical hacking and his qualification for the upcoming Zero Day Quest, showcasing how he turned bug hunting into a lifestyle that allows him to work from anywhere—including a stunning island in Brazil.

In This Episode You Will Learn:

How a single discovered bug can lead to finding multiple vulnerabilities in the same area
The importance of exploring app integrations when searching for security vulnerabilities
Why building on prior discoveries can make it easier to uncover more hidden security issues

Some Questions We Ask:

What guidance can you share with other researchers and hackers on how to find vulnerabilities?
Why did your background in software engineering help you in your bug bounty work?
How did you transition from working on the website incident to more full-time security research?

Resources:

View Brad Schlintz on LinkedIn

View Wendy Zenone on LinkedIn

View Nic Fillingham on LinkedIn

Related Microsoft Podcasts:

Discover and follow other Microsoft podcasts at microsoft.com/podcasts

The BlueHat Podcast is produced by Microsoft and distributed as part of N2K media network.

Bug Hunting from the Beach with Brad Schlintz