[ISM] Vulnerability disclosure policy:

[SSDF] Develop and update disclosure policies (SSS-04-02-01)

Develop a clear vulnerability disclosure policy that outlines the procedures for identifying, reporting, and remediating vulnerabilities. Define roles and responsibilities within the organization to ensure that each part of the disclosure and remediation process is managed effectively. Implement structured processes for receiving vulnerability reports, assessing their impact, prioritizing remediation, and communicating with relevant stakeholders. Regularly review and update the policy to reflect evolving security practices, ensuring continuous improvement and alignment with organizational goals. This highlights the need for a structured, transparent policy with clearly defined roles and processes to manage vulnerabilities from identification through remediation, supporting effective vulnerability management.

[SAMM] Develop structured vulnerability disclosure policies (SSS-04-02-01-01)

Establish comprehensive vulnerability disclosure policies that clearly define processes and roles for identifying, reporting, and remediating security issues. Focus on creating streamlined procedures for receiving reports, categorizing vulnerabilities, and prioritizing their resolution based on potential impact. Assign clear ownership of disclosure activities to specific teams or roles, ensuring accountability and effective management throughout the remediation lifecycle. Integrate transparent communication mechanisms with stakeholders to report progress, while safeguarding sensitive details. Regularly update policies to align with evolving industry standards and organizational priorities. Provide training and resources to relevant teams for consistent implementation of these policies. Enable feedback loops from external researchers and internal users to refine processes and enhance the organization's ability to manage vulnerabilities efficiently and responsibly.

Operations

ID	Operation	Description	Phase	Agent
SSS-04-02-01-01-01	Define and document disclosure processes	Establish clear processes for receiving, categorizing, and prioritizing vulnerability reports. Include procedures for assessing potential impact and defining remediation timelines. Document these processes in a comprehensive policy accessible to all relevant stakeholders.	Preparation	Security Policy Team
SSS-04-02-01-01-02	Assign ownership and accountability	Assign specific roles or teams responsibility for managing vulnerability disclosure activities. Ensure they are accountable for each step of the remediation lifecycle, from initial report handling to resolution and stakeholder communication.	Development	Security Teams
SSS-04-02-01-01-03	Implement transparent communication mechanisms	Set up communication channels to keep stakeholders informed about the progress of vulnerability remediation. Safeguard sensitive information while providing timely updates to relevant parties, including external researchers and internal teams.	Deployment	Compliance Teams
SSS-04-02-01-01-04	Provide training and resources	Train relevant teams on the policies and provide resources to support consistent implementation. Include training on handling sensitive data, managing external communications, and adhering to disclosure timelines.	Deployment	Training Teams
SSS-04-02-01-01-05	Establish feedback loops for continuous improvement	Enable feedback loops by collecting input from external researchers, internal users, and remediation teams. Use this feedback to refine disclosure policies, improve workflows, and enhance the organization's vulnerability management capabilities.	Post-deployment	Feedback Management Team

References

Industry framework	Academic work	Real-world case
Information Security Manual (ISM-1755) NIST Secure Software Development Framework (RV.1.3) OWASP SAMM: Software Assurance Maturity Model (G-PC-1-A)