Monero Vulnerability Response Process

Preamble

Researchers/Hackers: while you research/hack, we ask that you please refrain from committing the following:

Denial of Service / Active exploiting against the network
Social Engineering of Monero staff or contractors
Any physical or electronic attempts against Monero community property and/or data centers

I. Point of Contacts for Security Issues

ric@getmonero.org
BDA6 BD70 42B7 21C4 67A9  759D 7455 C5E3 C0CD CEB9

luigi1111@getmonero.org
8777 AB8F 778E E894 87A2  F8E7 F4AC A018 3641 E010

moneromooo.monero@gmail.com
48B0 8161 FBDA DFE3 93AD  FC3E 686F 0745 4D6C EFC3

II. Security Response Team

fluffypony
luigi1111
moneromooo

III. Incident Response

Researcher submits report via one or both of two methods:
- a. Email
- b. HackerOne
Response Team designates a Response Manager who is in charge of the particular report based on availability and/or knowledge-set
In no more than 3 working days, Response Team should gratefully respond to researcher using only encrypted, secure channels
Response Manager makes inquiries to satisfy any needed information to confirm if submission is indeed a vulnerability
- a. If submission proves to be vulnerable, proceed to next step
- b. If not vulnerable:
  - i. Response Manager responds with reasons why submission is not a vulnerability
  - ii. Response Manager moves discussion to a new or existing ticket on GitHub if necessary
If over email, Response Manager opens a HackerOne issue for new submission
Establish severity of vulnerability:
- a. HIGH: impacts network as a whole, has potential to break entire network, results in the loss of monero, or is on a scale of great catastrophe
- b. MEDIUM: impacts individual nodes, wallets, or must be carefully exploited
- c. LOW: is not easily exploitable
Respond according to the severity of the vulnerability:
- a. HIGH severities must be notified on website and reddit /r/Monero within 3 working days of classification
  - i. The notification should list appropriate steps for users to take, if any
  - ii. The notification must not include any details that could suggest an exploitation path
  - iii. The latter takes precedence over the former
- b. MEDIUM and HIGH severities will require a Point Release
- c. LOW severities will be addressed in the next Regular Release
Response Team applies appropriate patch(es)
- a. Response Manager designates a PRIVATE git "hotfix branch" to work in
- b. Patches are reviewed with the researcher
- c. Any messages associated with PUBLIC commits during the time of review should not make reference to the security nature of the PRIVATE branch or its commits
- d. Vulnerability announcement is drafted
  - i. Include the severity of the vulnerability
  - ii. Include all vulnerable systems/apps/code
  - iii. Include solutions (if any) if patch cannot be applied
- e. Release date is discussed
At release date, Response Team coordinates with developers to finalize update:
- a. Response Manager propagates the "hotfix branch" to trunk
- b. Response Manager includes vulnerability announcement draft in release notes
- c. Proceed with the Point or Regular Release

IV. Post-release Disclosure Process

Response Team has 90 days to fulfill all points within section III
If the Incident Response process in section III is successfully completed:
- a. Response Manager contacts researcher and asks if researcher wishes for credit
- b. Finalize vulnerability announcement draft and include the following:
  - i. Project name and URL
  - ii. Versions known to be affected
  - iii. Versions known to be not affected (for example, the vulnerable code was introduced in a recent version, and older versions are therefore unaffected)
  - iv. Versions not checked
  - v. Type of vulnerability and its impact
  - vi. If already obtained or applicable, a CVE-ID
  - vii. The planned, coordinated release date
  - viii. Mitigating factors (for example, the vulnerability is only exposed in uncommon, non-default configurations)
  - ix. Workarounds (configuration changes users can make to reduce their exposure to the vulnerability)
  - x. If applicable, credits to the original reporter
- c. Release finalized vulnerability announcement on website and reddit /r/Monero
- d. For HIGH severities, release finalized vulnerability announcement on well-known mailing lists:
  - i. oss-security@lists.openwall.com
  - ii. bugtraq@securityfocus.com
- e. If applicable, developers request a CVE-ID
  - i. The commit that applied the fix is made reference too in a future commit and includes a CVE-ID
If the Incident Response process in section III is not successfully completed:
- a. Response Team and developers organize an IRC meeting to discuss why/what points in section III were not resolved and how the team can resolve them in the future
- b. Any developer meetings immediately following the incident should include points made in section V
- c. If disputes arise about whether or when to disclose information about a vulnerability, the Response Team will publicly discuss the issue via IRC and attempt to reach consensus
- d. If consensus on a timely disclosure is not met (no later than 90 days), the researcher (after 90 days) has every right to expose the vulnerability to the public

V. Incident Analysis

Isolate codebase
- a. Response Team and developers should coordinate to work on the following:
  - i. Problematic implementation of classes/libraries/functions, etc.
  - ii. Focus on apps/distro packaging, etc.
  - iii. Operator/config error, etc.
Auditing
- a. Response Team and developers should coordinate to work on the following:
  - i. Auditing of problem area(s) as discussed in point 1
  - ii. Generate internal reports and store for future reference
  - iii. If results are not sensitive, share with the public via IRC or GitHub
Response Team has 45 days following completion of section III to ensure completion of section V

VI. Resolutions

Any further questions or resolutions regarding the incident(s) between the researcher and response + development team after public disclosure can be addressed via the following:

VII. Continuous Improvement

Response Team and developers should hold annual meetings to review the previous year's incidents
Response Team or designated person(s) should give a brief presentation, including:
- a. Areas of Monero affected by the incidents
- b. Any network downtime or monetary cost (if any) of the incidents
- c. Ways in which the incidents could have been avoided (if any)
- d. How effective this process was in dealing with the incidents
After the presentation, Response Team and developers should discuss:
- a. Potential changes to development processes to reduce future incidents
- b. Potential changes to this process to improve future responses

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