Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure

Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (CVD) is a process for disclosing security vulnerabilities to affected organizations in a way that minimizes the risk of harm to users. It is a voluntary process that is typically agreed upon by the vulnerability reporter, the affected organization, and a third-party facilitator.

The CVD process typically involves the following steps:

1. The vulnerability reporter discovers a security vulnerability in a product or service.
2. The vulnerability reporter reports the vulnerability to the affected organization.
3. The affected organization evaluates the vulnerability and determines the severity.
4. The affected organization and the vulnerability reporter agree on a disclosure plan.
5. The vulnerability is disclosed to the public in a coordinated manner.

The CVD process has several benefits, including:

• It allows affected organizations to fix vulnerabilities before they are exploited by malicious actors.
• It minimizes the risk of harm to users.
• It builds trust between vulnerability reporters and affected organizations.
• It encourages vulnerability researchers to share their findings.

There are several challenges associated with CVD, including:

• It can be time-consuming and resource-intensive.
• It can be difficult to reach an agreement on a disclosure plan.
• There is always the risk that the vulnerability will be disclosed before the affected organization has a chance to fix it.

Despite the challenges, CVD is an important process for improving the security of software and services. It is a voluntary process, but it is becoming increasingly adopted by organizations that are serious about security.

Here are some of the benefits of using CVD:

• It can help to reduce the risk of data breaches and other security incidents.
• It can help to improve the security of software and services.
• It can help to build trust between organizations and security researchers.
• It can help to attract and retain talented security researchers.

If you are interested in learning more about CVD, there are a number of resources available online. The following are a few of the most helpful resources:

• The CERT Guide to Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure: https://resources.sei.cmu.edu/asset_files/specialreport/2017_003_001_503340.pdf
• The CISA Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure Process: https://www.cisa.gov/coordinated-vulnerability-disclosure-process
• The ENISA Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure: Towards a Common EU Approach: https://www.enisa.europa.eu/news/coordinated-vulnerability-disclosure-towards-a-common-eu-approach
• The CERT-EU Coordinated vulnerability disclosure policy: https://cert.europa.eu/coordinated-vulnerability-disclosure-policy