In recent years, the hacking community in India has been thriving, with approximately 20% of hackers residing in the country, making it the second-most prolific bug hunting nation in the world. One young hacker from Ahmedabad, Gujarat, Kanishk Sajnani, has been making waves with his innovative work in the field.
Kanishk, a self-taught hacker, has had remarkable success in finding vulnerabilities in various systems. However, he has also faced challenges commonly encountered by ethical hackers, especially when it comes to reporting security issues to companies. Despite these obstacles, Kanishk remains dedicated to his craft and continues to push the boundaries of his knowledge.
One of Kanishk’s notable discoveries was a vulnerability in Faasos, India’s only vertically-integrated on-demand food company. The bug allowed him to access sensitive information such as card numbers, addresses, and order history, enabling him to order free food without detection. Despite responsibly disclosing the issue to the company’s CEO and CTO, Faasos initially showed indifference, which only fueled Kanishk’s curiosity further.
Not content with just uncovering bugs in smaller companies, Kanishk set his sights on larger corporations like Air India. His natural curiosity led him to explore whether it was possible to travel the world for free by exploiting security weaknesses in airline systems. In a narrative titled “How I Could Have Traveled the World for Free,” published on Medium, Kanishk detailed how he managed to book free business class flights and other perks through his hacking skills.
Finding vulnerabilities was only one part of the challenge for Kanishk. The real struggle lay in finding the right channels to report the vulnerabilities to the companies. Contact information was scarce, and Kanishk had to resort to sending numerous emails in search of someone who would take his reports seriously. Despite these hurdles, Kanishk remains motivated by his passion for bug hunting, rather than financial rewards.
Kanishk’s dedication to ethical hacking aligns with the larger hacker community, where 51% of hackers are motivated by the desire to do good. As a valued member of the hacker community, Kanishk represents the “neighborhood watch” of the internet, contributing to the overall security of online systems.
Overall, Kanishk’s journey as a hacker highlights the importance of ethical hacking in ensuring the safety and security of digital systems. His story serves as an inspiration to aspiring hackers and illustrates the impact that individuals can have in safeguarding cyberspace.
HackerOne, the leading hacker-powered security platform, continues to support ethical hackers like Kanishk in their endeavors to identify and address critical vulnerabilities. By providing bug bounty programs and other security solutions, HackerOne plays a crucial role in strengthening cybersecurity measures worldwide.