GitHub Spotlights Top Bug Bounty Researcher André Storfjord Kristiansen

GitHub Highlights Top Bug Bounty Researcher’s Methodology and Insights

GitHub has spotlighted André Storfjord Kristiansen (@dev-bio), a leading security researcher in its Bug Bounty Program, as part of Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025. Kristiansen, known for uncovering injection vulnerabilities and subtle logical flaws, shares his approach to vulnerability research, emphasizing curiosity-driven discovery and impactful reporting.

GitHub’s Commitment to Security and AI-Powered Development

GitHub’s Bug Bounty Program plays a critical role in securing its platform, which powers millions of development projects daily. With the rise of AI-driven tools like GitHub Copilot, Copilot coding agent, and GitHub Spark, GitHub has intensified its focus on security, particularly in emerging technologies.

To further strengthen its security posture, GitHub has expanded its VIP Bug Bounty Program, inviting top researchers—like Kristiansen—who demonstrate consistent expertise. VIP researchers gain:

• Early access to beta products before public release
• Direct engagement with GitHub engineers
• Exclusive Hacktocat swag, including the latest collection

Kristiansen’s Bug Bounty Journey and Methodology

Kristiansen’s involvement in bug bounty began serendipitously while working on a personal project. His background in software engineering and curiosity about system behavior led him to explore edge cases, often uncovering high-impact vulnerabilities.

Key Insights from Kristiansen’s Approach

1. Curiosity-Driven Research

   • His most significant findings stem from exploring unusual system behaviors rather than following a rigid methodology.
   • He emphasizes documenting each step to map potential attack paths and assess impact.

2. Preferred Vulnerability Classes

   • Injection vulnerabilities and logical flaws, particularly those that appear minor but can be chained for greater impact.
   • Recent focus on bypassing strict Content Security Policies (CSPs).

3. Tooling and Workflows

   • Prefers custom-built tools over off-the-shelf solutions to gain deeper insights into vulnerabilities.
   • Plans to release a toolkit for analyzing GitHub organizations, including graph-based queries to detect misconfigurations and hidden attack paths.

4. Staying Ahead of Vulnerability Trends

   • Relies on researcher write-ups to understand emerging threats.
   • Professionally, he specializes in software supply chain security, an often-overlooked but critical area.

Advice for Aspiring Bug Bounty Researchers

Kristiansen encourages researchers to:

• Dig deeper into seemingly minor findings to uncover broader implications.
• Document thoroughly to build a strong case for vulnerability impact.
• Explore under-researched areas, such as software supply chain security.

Connect with Kristiansen

For updates on his research, follow his personal page or connect on LinkedIn.

GitHub’s Call to Action

GitHub continues to welcome collaboration with the security research community. Researchers can report vulnerabilities via HackerOne.

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This spotlight is part of GitHub’s Cybersecurity Awareness Month 2025 initiatives.