Why do some bug bounties ignore user enumeration vulnerabilities

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I’ve noticed that some bug bounty programs consider user enumeration low impact and choose not to reward reports for it. Why is this the case, and are there scenarios where it could be considered a critical issue?
Dec 10, 2024 in Cyber Security & Ethical Hacking by Anupam
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1 answer to this question.

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Bug bounty programs sometimes deprioritize user enumeration vulnerabilities for several reasons. However, there are scenarios where they can have a significant impact. Here's an explanation:

Why User Enumeration is Often Ignored

  1. Low Immediate Impact
    User enumeration, on its own, doesn’t provide direct access to accounts or sensitive data. It typically requires additional steps, like password guessing, to exploit further.

  2. Widespread Occurrence
    Many platforms inherently allow some form of user enumeration due to features like "Forgot Password" workflows or registration pages. Fixing all such instances may not be practical or necessary.

  3. Business Decisions
    Some platforms knowingly tolerate user enumeration vulnerabilities to prioritize usability. For example, giving feedback like "Email not found" may improve user experience during account recovery.

  4. Focus on Critical Issues
    Programs may focus rewards on vulnerabilities with immediate and critical risks, such as account takeover, remote code execution, or sensitive data exposure.

  5. Mitigating Measures in Place
    If strong rate limiting, CAPTCHA, or monitoring systems are implemented, the overall risk posed by user enumeration is often deemed minimal.

When User Enumeration is Critical

  1. High-Value Targets
    On platforms handling sensitive data (e.g., banking, healthcare), knowing whether an account exists can provide attackers with a starting point for phishing, social engineering, or password spraying.

  2. Coupled with Other Vulnerabilities
    User enumeration can escalate when combined with weak password policies or lack of rate limiting, enabling brute force or credential stuffing attacks.

  3. Mass Enumeration
    Attackers could use user enumeration to build lists of valid emails or usernames, which may later be used for spamming, targeted attacks, or selling on dark web marketplaces.

  4. Regulatory Compliance
    For platforms subject to strict privacy laws (e.g., GDPR, HIPAA), user enumeration may constitute a privacy violation by revealing personal data like email addresses.

answered Dec 10, 2024 by CaLLmeDaDDY
• 13,760 points

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