[ISM] Vulnerability disclosure process:

[SSDF] Define vulnerability management processes (SSS-04-03-01)

Establish a Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) with defined processes to manage vulnerability reports and security incidents effectively. Ensure the PSIRT is equipped to assess, prioritize, and respond to reported vulnerabilities promptly. Develop communication plans that outline how and when to inform stakeholders—such as internal teams, affected customers, and regulatory bodies—about identified vulnerabilities and remediation steps. Regularly review and update these processes to improve response efficiency and maintain stakeholder trust during security incidents. It emphasizes the importance of having a dedicated team and structured processes for vulnerability response, along with clear communication strategies, ensuring a comprehensive approach to managing vulnerability disclosures.

[SAMM] Document and establish structured processes and an incident response team for managing vulnerabilities (SSS-04-03-01-01)

Formulate a continuously available incident response team with defined responsibilities for managing security vulnerabilities and incidents. Establish comprehensive documentation for incident response procedures, keeping these updated to reflect current risks and best practices. Ensure critical resources, including communication infrastructure and reliable external storage, are accessible for use during emergencies. Regularly automate key processes, such as vulnerability triage and stakeholder notifications, to improve response time and consistency. Conduct frequent incident response drills and exercises to evaluate team preparedness, ensuring learnings are incorporated for process enhancements. Develop a robust metrics framework to monitor response efficiency, prioritization accuracy, and communication effectiveness. Use these insights for continuous improvement and greater stakeholder confidence in managing security incidents.

Operations

ID	Operation	Description	Phase	Agent
SSS-04-03-01-01-01	Establish an incident response team (IRT)	Form a dedicated team with clearly defined roles and responsibilities for managing security incidents. Ensure the team is continuously available and trained to handle emergencies effectively.	Preparation	Security Operations Team
SSS-04-03-01-01-02	Document and update incident response procedures	Develop detailed documentation for incident response processes, including triage, communication protocols, and recovery steps. Regularly review and update these procedures to reflect evolving risks and best practices.	Development	Incident Response Leads
SSS-04-03-01-01-03	Automate key incident response processes	Implement automation for processes such as vulnerability triage, stakeholder notifications, and report generation. This reduces response times and ensures consistency in incident handling.	Deployment	DevOps Teams
SSS-04-03-01-01-04	Conduct regular drills and exercises	Perform frequent incident response simulations and exercises to assess team preparedness. Incorporate learnings from these drills into procedural updates and training programs to improve response capabilities.	Post-deployment	Incident Response Team
SSS-04-03-01-01-05	Monitor performance with metrics framework	Develop and track metrics for response efficiency, prioritization accuracy, and communication effectiveness. Use these insights to refine processes and improve stakeholder confidence in the organization's ability to manage incidents effectively.	Post-deployment	Compliance Teams

References

Industry framework	Academic work	Real-world case
Information Security Manual (ISM-1756) NIST Secure Software Development Framework (RV.1.3 Example2) OWASP SAMM: Software Assurance Maturity Model (O-IM-3-B)