Top 7 Payloads lists Every Bug Bounty Hunter Need To Know

Link to article Bug bounty hunting is a highly competitive field that requires expertise in security vulnerabilities and effective exploitation techniques. Whether you’re targeting XSS, SQL Injection, SSTI, or other vulnerabilities, having a well-curated payload list is crucial. These lists help you find security flaws faster and more efficiently. In this article, we’ll go over the top 7 payload lists that every bug bounty hunter should know. What is a Payload List? A payload list is a collection of pre-crafted attack inputs used by security researchers to exploit vulnerabilities in web applications, APIs, and systems. These lists contain various malicious inputs that trigger security flaws such as SQL Injection (SQLi), Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF), and more. For example, instead of manually crafting an SQL injection attack, you can use a payload list that includes: ' OR '1'='1' -- This can be inserted into a login form to check for database vulnerabilities. Why Does a Payload List Save Time? A good payload list enhances efficiency by: Speeding Up Testing — Predefined payloads allow for quick testing instead of manually crafting each one. Covering Multiple Attack Vectors — They include different variations that increase the chance of finding vulnerabilities. Helping with Automation — Many tools like Burp Suite, SQLmap, and fuzzers use payload lists for automated security testing. Improving Accuracy — Expert-curated lists ensure no common attack vectors are missed. Being Reusable — The same payloads work across multiple applications, making testing faster and more consistent. Photo by Nahel Abdul Hadi on Unsplash Top 7 Payload Lists for Bug Bounty Hunters Payloads All The Things

Feb 18, 2025 - 10:05

Top 7 Payloads lists Every Bug Bounty Hunter Need To Know

Bug bounty hunting is a highly competitive field that requires expertise in security vulnerabilities and effective exploitation techniques. Whether you’re targeting XSS, SQL Injection, SSTI, or other vulnerabilities, having a well-curated payload list is crucial. These lists help you find security flaws faster and more efficiently. In this article, we’ll go over the top 7 payload lists that every bug bounty hunter should know.

What is a Payload List?
A payload list is a collection of pre-crafted attack inputs used by security researchers to exploit vulnerabilities in web applications, APIs, and systems. These lists contain various malicious inputs that trigger security flaws such as SQL Injection (SQLi), Cross-Site Scripting (XSS), Server-Side Request Forgery (SSRF), and more.

For example, instead of manually crafting an SQL injection attack, you can use a payload list that includes:

' OR '1'='1' --
This can be inserted into a login form to check for database vulnerabilities.

Why Does a Payload List Save Time?
A good payload list enhances efficiency by:

Speeding Up Testing — Predefined payloads allow for quick testing instead of manually crafting each one.
Covering Multiple Attack Vectors — They include different variations that increase the chance of finding vulnerabilities.
Helping with Automation — Many tools like Burp Suite, SQLmap, and fuzzers use payload lists for automated security testing.
Improving Accuracy — Expert-curated lists ensure no common attack vectors are missed.
Being Reusable — The same payloads work across multiple applications, making testing faster and more consistent.

Photo by Nahel Abdul Hadi on Unsplash
Top 7 Payload Lists for Bug Bounty Hunters

Payloads All The Things