How can a company make a bug bounty program?
In this article, I wanted to talk about how you can create a bounty program for your company and what you need to do. Bug bounty programs are becoming increasingly popular among companies as a way to incentivize security researchers to find and report vulnerabilities in their software. By offering rewards for these discoveries, companies can benefit from the expertise of the global security community and ensure that their systems remain secure against potential threats. In this blog post, we’ll provide some tips on how a company can set up a successful bug bounty program.
Main topics :
- Defining the Scope of the Program
a. Which Systems and Applications are In-Scope?
b. Limitations and Exclusions - Determining the Reward Structure
a. How Much to Pay for Different Types of Vulnerabilities
b. Guidelines for Determining Severity - Establishing Rules of Engagement
a. No Unauthorized Access
b. Responsible Disclosure
c. No Malicious Intent - Providing Clear Communication Channels
a. Email Addresses or Web Forms
b. Clear Instructions on How to Report Vulnerabilities - Ensuring Prompt Response and Resolution
a. Verifying Vulnerabilities
b. Determining Severity
c. Developing a Plan to Address Vulnerabilities
d. Clear Timelines for Resolving Vulnerabilities
1.Define the Scope of the Program
Before launching a bug bounty program, it’s important to define the scope of the program. This means determining which systems and applications are in-scope, as well as any limitations or exclusions. For example, a company may want to limit the scope to their public-facing web applications, while excluding their internal networks or third-party software. Defining the scope of the program helps to ensure that researchers are aware of what they are allowed to test, and also helps to prevent confusion or disputes.
2. Determine the Reward Structure
The reward structure is another important aspect of a bug bounty program. Companies should determine how much they are willing to pay for different types of vulnerabilities, and also establish clear guidelines for determining the severity of a vulnerability. This ensures that researchers are aware of what they can expect to be paid for their findings, and also helps to ensure that rewards are allocated fairly.
3. Establish Rules of Engagement
The rules of engagement are the guidelines that researchers must follow in order to participate in the bug bounty program. These should include requirements such as:
- No unauthorized access: Researchers should not attempt to access any systems or data that is not within the scope of the program.
- Responsible disclosure: Researchers should report their findings to the company in a responsible manner, and not disclose any details of the vulnerabilities to others.
- No malicious intent: Researchers should not use their findings for malicious purposes or attempt to exploit the vulnerabilities they find.
Establishing clear rules of engagement helps to ensure that researchers understand their responsibilities and also helps to mitigate any potential legal or ethical issues that may arise.
4 . Provide Clear Communication Channels
In order for researchers to effectively report their findings, it’s important to provide clear communication channels. This can include email addresses or web forms where researchers can submit their reports, as well as clear instructions on how to report vulnerabilities. Providing clear communication channels helps to ensure that researchers can report their findings easily and also helps to ensure that the company can respond to reports in a timely manner.
5. Ensure Prompt Response and Resolution
Once a vulnerability has been reported, it’s important to respond promptly and take action to address the issue. This can include verifying the vulnerability, determining the severity of the issue, and developing a plan to address the vulnerability. Companies should also establish clear timelines for resolving vulnerabilities and keeping researchers informed of the status of their reports.
A bug bounty program can be an effective way for companies to leverage the expertise of the security community and ensure that their systems remain secure against potential threats. By defining the scope of the program, determining the reward structure, establishing rules of engagement, providing clear communication channels, and ensuring prompt response and resolution, companies can set up a successful bug bounty program that benefits both the company and the security community.
In this article, I told you how to follow a path when you need to prepare a bug bounty program for your company. Take care and see you in my next post.
