Let us introduce you to Dipen! A mastermind in the realm of digital infiltration and manipulation. Unveiling the hidden vulnerabilities that lie within the intricate tapestry of business logic, access controls, and server-side defenses, Dipen emerges as a hacker whose methodologies transcend the ordinary. 

Not only is he an accomplished hacker, but he’s also super chill, easy going and prioritizes his health and fitness. Keep reading to learn more about Dipen!

Tell us about yourself 🙂 What does your life look like outside of hacking (family/hobbies)?

“I love to go for a workout, long runs, and visit new places to keep myself occupied. This helps me to stay focused and avoid burnout between bug bounty and work.”

Exercise is important for the mind and the body 💪🏽

What kind of music do you enjoy?

“I listen to almost any music; however, it depends on my mood as I’m not very much into music.”

 Do you enjoy sports or any sort of physical activity?

“Yes, I love playing cricket, squash and going for long runs is always my go-to physical activity.”

You must have some healthy lungs!

Where did you grow up?

“I grew up in India”

Let’s talk hacking! How did you get into the Cybersecurity space?

“I always had curiosity about computers, although my initial background was far away from computers. However, I had an interest in cybersecurity during my undergrad days. My main motivation was to break things, and I started exploring to convert my passion into a professional career, after little bit of research I was introduced to Penetration testing, bug bounties and that’s how eventually I got into cybersecurity.”

Breaking things is just plain therapeutic 😊 

What and/or who first sparked your interest in hacking?

“My curiosity to know how one can hack into computer systems sparked my interest. I had very limited knowledge of computers when this thought struck me. That’s when I started exploring hacking and eventually got my hands on some Remote Access Trojans (RATs) for testing purposes.”

We love that you started with so little knowledge and now you’re very successful. As they say, “started from the bottom now we’re here.” 

How long have you been hunting?

“I have been doing bug bounty for more than 5 years now.”

How have bug bounties impacted your life?

“For most of the part, I would say positively. It’s always a great experience to learn new things as you interact with new targets, however there are days or weeks when you don’t find anything, that is when the actual burnout starts.”

Yikes. Burnout is no joke. Can’t wait to hear how you manage that 🤗

Are you a part-time or full-time hacker? How much time do you spend hacking each week?

“I would say a full-time hacker, I spend around 20+ hours in total per week.”

What has been your biggest challenge while hacking? How did you overcome it?

“Staying ahead of the curve, I am still trying to figure out how to overcome it 🙂 Always staying curious and focused definitely helps though.”

Curiosity definitely sounds like a theme with you and all hackers. 

Do you have any favorite tools or resources? What are they?

“Burp will always be my go to tool while testing web apps. I love reading tweets and blogs related to various research that is being actively performed.”

Do you have any advice for new hackers or people transitioning into bug bounty?

“Keep learning and trying, this will help you succeed.”

Just keep swimming 🐠 #IYKYK

Why do you hunt with Bugcrowd?

“I find it very easy to interact with most of the triagers, friendly staff, well organized researcher portal and most importantly, a wide variety of unique products to test and work on.”

Thank you! We love interacting with you and all hackers. You all are the best 🥳

Hacking is strenuous work. How do you avoid burnout?

“To avoid burnout, I take breaks every now and then. Getting disconnected always helps.”

As people who spend so much time in the digital world, disconnecting from it for a bit has got to feel good. 

How do you take care of yourself and your mental health?

“Spend quality time with family.”

Where do you see your journey going from here?

“I’m still learning new things everyday, so I’ll keep doing what I’m doing and see where I land eventually :)”

We think you’ll land somewhere super awesome 😎

What are some goals you have for this year?

“Nothing as specific, grab one opportunity at a time.”

What is your ideal career?

“I’m still figuring that out 🙂 It may take a while before I decide where I end up.”

Anything else you want to include!

“Hoping for some good time with Bugcrowd”

And good times you all shall have 🫶🏽 To learn more about your fellow hackers, don’t hesitate to follow on Twitter, Instagram, and LinkedIn and don’t forget our Discord! Are you ready to join the hunt? Sign up for a researcher account today and start your hacking journey!