

Critical Thinking - Bug Bounty Podcast
Justin Gardner (Rhynorater) & Joseph Thacker (Rez0)
A "by Hackers for Hackers" podcast focused on technical content ranging from bug bounty tips, to write-up explanations, to the latest hacking techniques.
Episodes
Mentioned books

Aug 21, 2025 • 51min
Episode 136: Hacking Cluely, AI Prod Sec, and How To Not Get Sued with Jack Cable
Jack Cable, founder of Corridor.dev and a former government cybersecurity expert, shares his insights on a significant bug in Cluely’s desktop application and the challenges of cybersecurity legislation. He explores the intersection of AI and application security, highlighting vulnerabilities and the potential of AI tools in software development. The conversation also delves into the legal risks facing ethical hackers, emphasizing the importance of obtaining permission and navigating complex laws like the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act. Jack's experiences illuminate both the opportunities and hurdles in the cybersecurity landscape.

Aug 14, 2025 • 1h 26min
Episode 135: Akamai's Ryan Barnett on WAFs, Unicode Confusables, and Triage Stories
Ryan Barnett, Principal Researcher at Akamai, brings his web application security expertise to the table. He discusses the intricacies of Web Application Firewalls (WAFs), including their dual role in vulnerability prevention. The conversation delves into Unicode vulnerabilities, particularly the challenges of encoding, and real-world examples like the NIMDA worm. Ryan also shares insights on the importance of collaboration between bug bounty hunters and web security platforms, enhancing the discourse around ethical hacking's evolving landscape.

11 snips
Aug 4, 2025 • 1h 54min
Episode 134: XBOW - AI Hacking Agent and Human in the Loop with Diego Djurado
Diego Djurado, a security researcher at Expo and HackerOne ambassador from Spain, dives into the fascinating world of AI hacking agents like XBOW. He shares insights into its architecture and the challenges posed by AI hallucinations. Diego reflects on his bug bounty journey, including competitive experiences at the Ambassador World Cup, while discussing the balance between human expertise and AI in vulnerability testing. Concepts like chaining vulnerabilities and the ethics of AI in security assessments make this a thought-provoking conversation.

11 snips
Jul 31, 2025 • 1h 16min
Episode 133: Building Hacker Communities - Bug Bounty Village, getDisclosed, and the LHE Squad
Harley Infinite Logins, Community Manager at HackerOne and spearhead of Bug Bounty Village at DEF CON, joins the conversation. They dive into the thrill of live hacking events, highlighting community collaboration and vulnerability discovery. Harley shares transformative experiences from curious hacker to community leader, emphasizing the importance of knowledge sharing. Listeners get an exciting preview of innovative features and interactive challenges planned for the Bug Bounty Village, alongside intriguing discussions on hacking education and tools.

13 snips
Jul 24, 2025 • 1h 50min
Episode 132: Archive Testing Methodology with Mathias Karlsson
Mathias Karlsson, a seasoned bug bounty hunter and the mind behind Archive Alchemist, joins in to discuss the complexities of archive-based vulnerabilities. He dives into the significance of Unicode paths, revealing how they can lead to security flaws. The conversation highlights automation in testing methodologies and the risks associated with symbolic link and path traversal attacks. Karlsson also shares insights on file handling intricacies, showcasing techniques for enhancing security assessments that are crucial for developers and researchers alike.

5 snips
Jul 17, 2025 • 51min
Episode 131: SL Cyber Writeups, Bug Bounty Metastrategy, and Orphaned Github Commits
Dive into the world of collaborative hacking as experts discuss the thrill of teamwork in uncovering software vulnerabilities. Uncover the shocking scale of data exposed by a McDonald's chatbot flaw. Explore how to exploit .NET Nuke vulnerabilities and the nuances in prompt engineering for AI interactions. Learn about making the most of GitHub scans and the implications of orphan commits. Plus, discover new tools like Raycast for Windows and enhancements in Google Docs that can elevate bug bounty hunting!

Jul 10, 2025 • 1h 8min
Episode 130: Minecraft Hacks to Google Hacking Star - Valentino
Dive into the intriguing world of hacking as Valentino shares his transition from Minecraft exploits to tackling Google vulnerabilities. Discover creative approaches like bypassing HTML sanitizers and exploiting .NET deserialization. Learn about the challenges of reverse proxy vulnerabilities and the importance of innovative thinking in uncovering security flaws. The discussion highlights personal journeys, community engagement in hacking, and advanced methodologies for identifying bugs in cutting-edge technologies like AI.

32 snips
Jul 3, 2025 • 36min
Episode 129: Is this how Bug Bounty Ends?
Dive into the future of bug bounties as human hackers collaborate with AI, revolutionizing vulnerability discovery. Explore the intricate challenges of tokenization and its implications for effective hacking mentorship. Unpack the complexities of language models and the intriguing phenomenon of AI 'hallucinations.' Discover the vital role of context engineering in ensuring accurate validations, making sense of how AI is reshaping the cybersecurity landscape. It's an engaging discussion on the evolution of hacking in the age of artificial intelligence!

Jun 26, 2025 • 58min
Episode 128: New Research in Blind SSRF and Self-XSS, and How to Architect Source-code Review AI Bots
Delve into the vulnerabilities of self-XSS and the complexities of blind SSRF attacks, unveiling the latest research on HTTP redirect techniques. Explore the innovative applications of AI in reversing minified JavaScript and improving code security. Hear about exciting new tools like Lumintus for better bug bounty documentation and the implications of URL spoofing linked to Google font ligatures. This engaging discussion combines technical insights with the evolving landscape of web security.

19 snips
Jun 19, 2025 • 1h 7min
Episode 127: Drama, PDF as JS Chaos, Bounty Profile Apps, And More
The discussion kicks off with recent controversies in the bug bounty world and the advocacy for hackers. Key highlights include innovative hacking techniques around file formats and insights into compensation for zero-click vulnerabilities. There's a deep dive into the role of AI in cybersecurity, including novel exploits like 'Echo Leak.' The hosts celebrate community achievements while introducing tools like Newtowner for cloud security. Finally, they explore advanced tactics, including monetizing social media interactions and enhancing strategies with Chrome's dev tools.