Return-Path: Received: from smtp1.linuxfoundation.org (smtp1.linux-foundation.org [172.17.192.35]) by mail.linuxfoundation.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id 131C1A81 for ; Tue, 12 Sep 2017 17:57:35 +0000 (UTC) X-Greylist: whitelisted by SQLgrey-1.7.6 Received: from mail-ua0-f178.google.com (mail-ua0-f178.google.com [209.85.217.178]) by smtp1.linuxfoundation.org (Postfix) with ESMTPS id DD7481D7 for ; Tue, 12 Sep 2017 17:57:33 +0000 (UTC) Received: by mail-ua0-f178.google.com with SMTP id s15so15956443uag.1 for ; Tue, 12 Sep 2017 10:57:33 -0700 (PDT) DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=gmail.com; s=20161025; h=mime-version:sender:in-reply-to:references:from:date:message-id :subject:to:cc; bh=3zwIw6JwumsD1buTfpds9kEw+elboEoLhO8m8EdcCjk=; b=SNF/xK1nj9Vi4JeQIp6cMU7xxrbn+7pxhmvMLCaq06jK+bmK1PbDxVn8Vyq2Y+G1Dm 5s1UGdMBcYZPhxEA+mHxqP7E5GFA46++e8aq6bjroaa/3lhHbk4l1iQuOytDhAJOy//M /GdDckYguZgAgjuQtDwnUWMA1kC6X+CwBTOraP5VPURy6qc2JCnW6kaJRE6u28sC5PDZ 6IWlBv4h48hEPxJef2Ff0uV+eR/cH4QdFXEFrwDW4USV73hHQuDWxh0l4Mcr8hk4Yamp F3KmwDhDhxe5QB0GP5Ab8QTwk7w2bi6u0KbH6O2djZXzbFRMVGmwH/qj1Jz37ea1xchM y+zA== X-Google-DKIM-Signature: v=1; a=rsa-sha256; c=relaxed/relaxed; d=1e100.net; s=20161025; h=x-gm-message-state:mime-version:sender:in-reply-to:references:from :date:message-id:subject:to:cc; bh=3zwIw6JwumsD1buTfpds9kEw+elboEoLhO8m8EdcCjk=; b=iDzOICMUShcDcpzaSIr+ZDoRDdDebO1xvY59pVDBUNz098ZaYDhalQnRYYpOXClUOy gcA11VIoonkqpkkZ6F0C5sFFO+3MyI06SduoTHRjWsaappRPWm90ZHajif74GZ32Vb7T I8XtCjMhI7vyzWmd4UTmXhFyxqcAFdsHPB8EmnyzI91c7991QLbPj1amJ9US2OHfoyVg Wi07atc519rI2mAK0pSln2QHrZTnqjJJaAIGo9amb1GDTyIZCKXT2IqFoyVLev+2reGd nulDTt2f+/FZp13btIbSX3d3Dh69BpPWApCJRH8dg5bRjI6XWPBTJ+oCaAr+D9M9Dq9Z odDA== X-Gm-Message-State: AHPjjUj8xQT4OsQkTXGh0R0/JixEf8NXXjqT4Tl1jRep/G4d8KyihGWb 7QQMNg22zJ3zkPD8tYEHNv4fCTlx3w== X-Google-Smtp-Source: ADKCNb6chX7mO6K7j4Lw7Q/L3kKuJZW2XWDcNbR+7MF15uIsl+2PNM5lybOjP/Sa6G5rw5y5Kl8DAyH0ry+GqDgvxfg= X-Received: by 10.176.94.89 with SMTP id a25mr11770165uah.109.1505239053031; Tue, 12 Sep 2017 10:57:33 -0700 (PDT) MIME-Version: 1.0 Sender: gmaxwell@gmail.com Received: by 10.103.146.78 with HTTP; Tue, 12 Sep 2017 10:57:32 -0700 (PDT) In-Reply-To: References: <3e4541f3-f65c-5199-5e85-9a65ea5142e7@bitcartel.com> <20170911021506.GA19080@erisian.com.au> <20170912033703.GD19080@erisian.com.au> From: Gregory Maxwell Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2017 17:57:32 +0000 X-Google-Sender-Auth: z-1P5qCIPdD2GCn-81T8o1kIaJs Message-ID: To: Sergio Demian Lerner , Bitcoin Protocol Discussion Content-Type: text/plain; charset="UTF-8" X-Spam-Status: No, score=0.5 required=5.0 tests=DKIM_SIGNED,DKIM_VALID, FREEMAIL_FROM, RCVD_IN_DNSWL_NONE, RCVD_IN_SORBS_SPAM autolearn=disabled version=3.3.1 X-Spam-Checker-Version: SpamAssassin 3.3.1 (2010-03-16) on smtp1.linux-foundation.org Subject: Re: [bitcoin-dev] Responsible disclosure of bugs X-BeenThere: bitcoin-dev@lists.linuxfoundation.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.12 Precedence: list List-Id: Bitcoin Protocol Discussion List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Tue, 12 Sep 2017 17:57:35 -0000 On Tue, Sep 12, 2017 at 4:49 AM, Sergio Demian Lerner via bitcoin-dev wrote: > It also implies that some times a researcher works hard to investigate a > vulnerability and later he finds out it was previously reported. It also > means that the researcher cannot report to alt-coins which have a different > policy. I agree with your post, but wanted to make a point of clarification on the use of "can't". If someone wants to report something to the Bitcoin project we're obviously at your mercy in how we handle it. If we disagree on the handling approach we may try to talk you into a different position based with a rational judgement based on our experience (or, if justified, advice that we're likely to whine about your approach in public). But if you still want to go also report a common issue to something else with a different approach then you can. Even our ire/whining can be avoided by a sincere effort to communicate and give us an opportunity to mitigate harm. That said, as mentioned, we'd encourage otherwise for issues that warrant it-- and I think with cause enough that the reporter will agree. So that is a different kind of "cant". :) In Bitcoin the overwhelming majority of serious issues we've encountered have been found by people I'd consider 'inside the project' (frequent regular contributors who aren't seriously involved in other things). That hasn't been so obviously the case for other open source projects that I've been involved with; but Bitcoin is pretty good from a basic security perspective and finding additional issues often requires specialized experience that few people outside of the project regulars have (though some, like Sergio, clearly do). I know through direct experience that both Mozilla and the Chrome project fix _serious_ (like RCE bugs) issues based on internal discoveries which they do not make public (apparently ever), though they may coordinate with distributors on some of them. (Some of these experiences are also why I give the advice that you should not consider any computer which has ever run a web browser to be strongly secure...)