Nepali Ethical Hackers Making Their Name in Cyber Security and Bug Bounty
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| Top 5 Nepali Bug Hunters |
Hacking is not always illegal i.e. there is a term "Ethical Hacking" that gives a new destination for the skillful hackers. Similarly, Bug Bounty programs that simply means finding bugs independtly for the companies with consent through the bug bounty platforms like HackerOne, Intgriti, Hackr, Bugcrowd, etc. to get rewarded. Hacking and cybersecurity has been an aspiring field for many programming nerds. While Nepal origined companies is not typically known for the bug bounty and ethical hacking programs, Nepali bug hunters prefers hunting the bugs for different MNCs (Multi-National Companies) and foreign companies. Among number of ethical bug hunters in Nepal some of them have really done outstanding jobs that amazed the international cyber security experts and companies. Some of the top bug hunters that succeed to hold their name in the top list worldwide are:
1. Samip Aryal
Samip Aryal is a physics and tech interested security researcher iwth Electronic and Electrical engineering degree from Kathmandu University (KU) who found the two significant crtitical bugs in facebook as well as in instagram due to which he was listed on the top of Hall of Fame of Facebook that made the whole world amazed. He found a potential security vulnerability that can be exploited to take one's Facebook at just one click. Similarly, he found similar vulnerability in Instagram. Meta(Parent company of Facebook and Instagram) had rewarded a bounty of 13k+ USD for the bug he founded in each services.
You can read his methodology of hunting the bug in his medium articles here.
2. Bikram Sharma
Originating from the Rajbiraj city of Nepal, Bikram Sharma has made a big name in the sector of bug bounty especially in the hackerone bug bounty programs. He has hunted for the renowned companies like Hostinger, Logitech, John Deere, etc. that rewarded him a good sum of money. Currently working as Security Research & penetration tester at Diploma Engineers Association Nepal(DEAN), he works as security researcher at HackerOne Bug bounty program as well. He had made a wide contributions for various bug programs including phenomenal agengcies like US Department of Defence, Toyota, Expedia Group, AT&T, etc.
Bikram Sharma's HackerOne Profile.
3. Sujan Thapa Magar
Sujan Thapa Magar is one of the prominent figure in the bug bounty sector of Nepal. He has a different story. He has done only his high schooling and that too in a government school with the grades to just pass the exam. He is originally from Pokhara who struggled for his PC and started to hunt bugs. Currently working as Cyber security expert at Eminence ways, He has already crossed a sum of 20k USD from his bug hunting at 100+ companies with thousands of bugs. He was featured by TechPana with his inspiring story that can be viewed on this Youtube video.
4. Saugat Pokharel
Similar to Samip Aryal, Saugat Pokharel found an easily exploitable bug in Facebook and Instagrams i.e. the email and birthday of the users are public even it was done private in the profile settings. He was rewarded a good sum of amount for this bug report. He is also a co-founder of renowned educational site MeroStudy.com and currently works as a Security Analyst at Cynical Technology.
His work can be read here.
5. Alex Dhital
Alex Dhital, maintaining his anonymity and gaping himself from social media limelights, has founded well endorsed bugs. Completing his Bachelor's degree in Computer Science from Islington College, Kathmandu, currently he is working with Synack Red Team. He had successfully maintained an extraordinary rank of Top 100 in 2019 in one of the top bug hunting platform "Hackthebox".
Nepali Youth Leading the Way in Cyber Security Innovation
Nowadays, although there are lots of cyber attacks happening around us, these hackers are changing the concept of hacking from illegal to an ethical and beneficial work. The ranking of all the bug hunters are based on the considerations of their age, ranks, endorsements, publicity, etc. criterions and we can see some of the great work that has given a name of Nepal into the pool of bug bounty and ethical hacking. Ethical hacking is considered as a huge market with great potential internationally however in Nepal, it is less considerable due to less popularity. That's why it is the best time to dive into this field due to less concentration to improve the cyber condition of Nepal. Although initially being though, it pays for what you learnt at the end. Further in advance level AI and ML can be also integrated to multiply the detection and earnings which is already being implemented by the experts worldwide. Since Nepali bug hunters continue to excel and innovate, leveraging AI-driven tools will undoubtedly play a pivotal role in fortifying cybersecurity frameworks and mitigating emerging threats.
As Nepali ethical hackers continue to make strides in cybersecurity and bug bounty programs, their impact is becoming increasingly recognized on a global scale. With individuals like Samip Aryal, Bikram Sharma, Sujan Thapa Magar, Saugat Pokharel, and Alex Dhital showcasing exceptional skills and contributing significantly to bug hunting, Nepal's presence in the cybersecurity community is gaining prominence. This surge in talent not only highlights the potential within Nepal's cyber landscape but also underscores the transformation of hacking from illicit activities to valuable ethical endeavors. As more young individuals lead the way in cybersecurity innovation, the country is poised to carve a significant niche in this dynamic and crucial industry.