‘Bug bounty hunter’ happy to give back to Bradford
A man who works as a ‘bug bounty hunter’ returned to the University of Bradford to pass on his knowledge to students.
Nikhil Rane, 25, who completed a one-year MSc in Cyber Security at the University last year, now analyses the cyber security for a gaming company in London.
He returned to Bradford to give a guest lecture to the current crop of MSc Cyber Security students, giving demonstrations of his work on ethical hacking and answering their questions about his work.
Nikhil said: “It is always nice to give back to where it started. Bradford has given me so much. I was impressed by the students.
“I don’t like to be stressed about my future. If I get an opportunity, I will grab it. From Bradford, I went for other opportunities. What I studied is what I am doing now at work.
“It’s a pleasure for me that people at the University know me for my work. That is a positive impact that I have left behind.
“I had a good time here. I miss Bradford and I miss Yorkshire. The people here are really friendly. I made a lot of connections and friends. Coming here changed everything for me.”
Nikhil Rane talks to students during his guest lecture session at the University of Bradford. Images credit: University of Bradford
What does a ‘bug bounty hunter’ do?
A bug bounty hunter is the term used for someone who identifies security loopholes in a website for companies and organisations but does not work full-time for them. Ethical hackers’ work aims to outsmart the malicious hackers.
Who is Nikhil Rane?
Nikhil, who is from Mumbai, India, completed his course at the University of Bradford in January 2024. After graduating, Nikhil initially worked as a freelance bug bounty hunter, including for a Netherlands-based company.
In October 2024 he moved to London where he works full time for a gaming company, testing their website for any potential vulnerabilities.
He has also previously helped several organisations to secure their websites and secured rewards from them.
Nikhil Rane gives a guest lecture to MSc in Cyber Security students. Images credit: University of Bradford
Nikhil was also shortlisted in the Cyber Diversity Student Champion Award category at the Cyber Diversity Awards 2024 in March and also for the best Ethical Hacker/Pentester at the Security Serious Unsung Heroes Award 2024 in October.
Dr Amna Qureshi, Assistant Professor in Cyber Security at the University of Bradford’s School of Computer Science, AI and Electronics, who taught Nikhil, said: “Nikhil’s return to deliver a guest lecture was a highly impactful experience for our students.
“His eagerness to share his expertise and personal experiences and engaging presentation captured the students’ attention throughout the discussion. His insights on bug bounty were particularly valuable, offering practical knowledge that students found immensely beneficial.”