Stats: Disclosing Vulnerabilities Responsibility? Researcher or Manufacturer

By: John Honovich, Published on Mar 30, 2018

Getting prompt and appropriate information on vulnerabilities is important for integrators and end users to ensure that their systems are best protected and updated against exploits.

But who should disclose this? Cybersecurity researcher, Bashis, who has found vulnerabilities in numerous video surveillance products, recently asked this. We gathered 150+ integrator responses to see what they believe is the right answer.

A clear theme emerged: Integrators overwhelmingly believe manufacturers are responsible for announcing but almost equally are worried that manufacturers will avoid that responsibility.

Inside we examine the results and share detailed integrator feedback.

******* ****** *** *********** information ** *************** ** important *** *********** *** end ***** ** ****** that ***** ******* *** best ********* *** ******* against ********.

*** *** ****** ******** this? ************* **********, ******, who *** ***** *************** in ******** ***** ************ products, ******** ***** ****. We ******** ***+ ********** responses ** *** **** they ******* ** *** right ******.

* ***** ***** *******: Integrators ************** ******* ************* are *********** *** ********** but ****** ******* *** worried **** ************* **** avoid **** **************.

****** ** ******* *** results *** ***** ******** integrator ********.

[***************]

Exec ******* - *****

*********** **** ******* ***** between ************* **********, *********** disclosing *** '****' **********:

Hiding ** *************

**** *********** ********* ******** that ************* *** ********* to **** ** ******* vulnerability ***********:

  • "** ***** ** **** if *** ************* ***, but **** ***** **** sugar **** *** ***** to ******** ***** ********* liability."
  • "*** ****** **** ******* it ** **** *** manufacturer ** **** **** almost ********* ***** ************ until **** *** **** it ** ***** ******."
  • "***** ************* *** ********, some ** *** ******* with ******* *** *** need ** **** ** paramount."
  • "************* ****** ** ******* to ***** ******** ******* pressure **** *** ********** going ******. ******** ** the **** *********."
  • "***** ** ******* **** frustrating **** ** **********'* standpoint **** * **** an ***** ** * customer ****** ** ** issue ****** * **** it **** *** ************. Then **** *** **** to *** ************ **** are ***** *** **** it ** *** ****** yet *** **** ** addressed ** *** **** firmware."
  • "************** ***** ** ** the ************, *** ** reality **** ***** **** it ** ***** ***** until ****** ** ****** due ** *** ******** impact **** *************** *** to *** **** ** the ******."
  • "* ******'* ***** *** manufacturers ** ** *********** about *************** ********** ***** their ********."
  • "************* ***'* ** ****** upon ******* *********** ******* them ** *****"

Researchers ********, ** ************ ** ***

******* ** *** ******* of ************'* ******, *** most ****** ********** ******** was **** *** ********** should ******** ** ** the ************ ******* ** do **:

  • "*** ************ ****** *** manufacturer ***** ** ******** it, **** *** ********** who ***** **!"
  • "** *** ************ *****'* respond *** **** **** the ***** **** *** researcher ****** **** ******* into ***** *** *****."
  • "************ ****** ** **, but ** **** *** “ethically **********” **** ** falls ** *** ********** to **** *** ************ to *** ******."
  • "** *** ************ **** not ******** ***** ** has **** *****, **** the ********** ****** ***** a ************ ** ******** and ***** * ***** length ** **** **** not ********."
  • "*** **** ** ** the ************, *******, ** is **** ***** **** they ***'* ****** ******** the ************* ***** **** have ******* **. ********* it **** **** **** to *** ********** ** inform **** ****** ******* it ** * ***** like **** *** ***** to **** ** ****."
  • "*** ****** *** ***** it ****** ******* *** maker ** *** ******* and (********* ** *** nature ** *** *************) give **** ** *********** time ** ******* *** problem, **** ** ** action *****, *** ****** who ***** ** ****** make ******."
  • "** * ******* *****: the ************. ******* *** not * ******* *****, If * ************* ** discovered *** *** ************ will *** ***** *** or *** ** **** in *-* ****** *** researcher *** ***** ** should ******** **."
  • "** ****** ** *** manufacturers ********** ** ****** their ******* *** *** industry ** * ****** manner. ** **** ************ is *** ****, **** I ******* **** *** researcher *** ** ************** to ******* ***** ******** and **** **** ***** to *** ******."
  • "*** ************ *** * responsibility ** ***** *********** to ******** ************** **** may ****** ***** ****** networks. ** **** ** not ******* ** ** issue, ** ****** ** made ******."
  • "*** *** ****** **** be ******** *** *********** to ******* *** ***** and ************ ** *** same ****. ** *** repair *** *** ***** place, *** ********** ****** announce *** *******."
  • "********** ****** ****** *** manufacturer *** ** ************ does *** **** ** right ** ****** *** issue *********** **** ********** need ** *** **** so ****** **** *****."
  • "** *** ************ ******* does *** **** *** ethical ****** *** ******* to ******* ** *****'* exist, **** ** ** perfectly ********** *** *** researcher ** ***** ***** hand ************** **** **** shown *** *****, ******** disregard *** *** *********, or *** ********* **** plain ** *** *********** that **** **** *** willingly **** **************/****** *** their ******."

Both ********

**** *********** ********* **** 'both' ** '***' ****** announce *** ******** ** maximize *** *********** **** these ****** *** ***** out ** *********** *** users:

  • "****** ****, ** **** any ******** ****** **** should **** * ***** channel *** ******** *** announce ****** ******* *** loudly."
  • "****. ** ********* ***** both ** **** *** understand **** **** *****"
  • "****. ****** ************* ** researcher ********* *** *************, and *** ************ ******** how ** ******* ***** product."
  • "**** *** *********** *******. If *** **** ** a *************** ** * product ** ***** ** in *** **** ******** of ********* *** *** the ******* ** ** made ***** *********** ** cyber-security ******. ********** ****** inform *** ************ *** if ************ **** *** make ** ***** ** fixing *** ***** *********** then ********** **** ** out **** ** ****** area *****."
  • "****. *** *********** ****** contact *** ************ **** a **** **** ****** them **** ** *** the ************* *** **** announce *** ******** **** to ****** **. **** the ********** **** *** it ********, *** *********** will ****."
  • "* ***** ****. *** researcher ****** ******* ** to *** ****** *** the ************ *** *** larger ************** ** ********** their ******* *************** *** helping ** *** *** issues."
  • "****. *** *** ********** should ** *******, ** the ************'* ******** ******** of ******** ***** **** itself ** ********* (** non) **********."
  • "****. ** ***** ** a ****** ********. ************* can't ** ****** **** without *********** ******* **** in *****, *** ***** researches **** ********** * vulnerability ** **** * name *** **********."

Burden *** ***********

***** ** ** ************** why *********** ***** **** researchers ** ******** / disclose, **** *********** *** specialists ** *************, *** marketing ** ****** *********. Also, **** *** ***** this *** ** ************, so ** *** ** costly *** **** ********* for **** ** ********** such ***********.

Marketing ******** *** ************* *********

** *** ***** ****, cybersecurity ********* *** ******** that *********** *** ** great ********* *** **** (e.g.,*****'* *** ** ******** Exploiting ************ *************,****** / ********* ************* Dispute). **** **** ********** sophisticated ** ********* ***** they ********** ****** *** work **** ******* **** market ***** ******* ** get ***** ********* ******** articles. **** *** ** unfair ** **** *** manufacturers *** **** *** vulnerabilities *** * ******* for *********** *** **** need ** **** **** the ************ ** *** exaggerated ****** ** *** PR ********.

Challenging ********* *** ***

**********, *** ********* ** a *********** *** **** (1) **** ************* ********* to ******* ** **** problems, (*) *********** ******** to ****** ****** ********* and (*) ************* ********* looking *** *************** ** market ***** *** *********.

Comments (11)

Avatar

Jonathan Lewit

03/30/18 05:10pm

******* ************ ** *** security ******* ********* ********. Just ******* * **** was *****, *****'* *********** mean ****** *** ********** it. **** ******* **** the **** ** ********** before ****** ******** *** be *** ** *****? Is **** ******** **** risk ** *********** ********** that ********* *** **** gone *********?

****** **** *** *********** side, * ** * big ******** ** *** manufacturer ******** ** *** taking *** ****. *** critical **** ** ** build ***** **** ******** partners *** *********. ***** security ** * ******* issue **** ******** *** parties ** **** ********. If ****** ****** *** positive ********** ** *** other, *** ****** ****** down ****** *******.

bashis mcw

In reply to Jonathan Lewit | 03/30/18 06:00pm

******** ******* ********* ********

***** **** * **** idea, *** **** ***** be ******.

**** ******* * **** was *****, *****'* *********** mean ****** *** ********** it. **** ******* **** the **** ** ********** before ****** ******** *** be *** ** *****? Is **** ******** **** risk ** *********** ********** that ********* *** **** gone *********?

* ***'* ** ****, but ** ***** ** it *** ******* **** exploited ** *** *** or *******.

**** * ** ****** (with **** *** **********) for *** ****** * have ***** ***** *********** (and ***** **), *** been ***** *** ***** of **** ******/************* *** even *********** ******, * am *** ** ***** that * ***** *'* the ***** *** *** find +* ** **** +10 ***** ******** ***/** vulnerabilities.

* *** ** *** first *** *** ******** disclose, *** **** ** different *****.

Avatar

Jonathan Lewit

In reply to bashis mcw | 03/30/18 06:29pm

* ***** ***** **** the ******** *** ******** through *********. ****** * have **** ******* *********** around ************* ******** *********, where **** ** ***** raised ** * *********.

*****, * ***** ** comes **** ** ***** and ***** *** ** lean ******* ***** **** proactive.

bashis mcw

In reply to Jonathan Lewit | 03/30/18 07:43pm

******** *** ******** ******* obscurity

* **** **** **** encrypted ******** ** **** of '******** ******* *********', and ***** **** * encounter ********* ******** * ask ****** '**** *** you ****** ** **** that ** ** ********* that *** **** ** encrypt *** ********?"

* ***'* *** *** point ** ******* ********, unless ** ** ****** some ***** ** ********** wrong ******** ** ******** to ***** ****** **** potentially ***** *** ******.

*****, * ***** ** comes **** ** ***** and ***** *** ** lean ******* ***** **** proactive.

***** ** ******* ***** with ***, *** ***** like ** **** **** what '*****' *** '*************' you ****?

Rodney Thayer

In reply to bashis mcw | 04/02/18 02:17pm

* ***** ********** ** a ********* ** ******* proprietary *********** ** ******** data ** ********* **********.

********** ** ******* **** lame *** ****** ************* because *** ***'* **** the ****** ****** *** page ** *** *******.

* **** ***** * proper ******** ****** ***** to ******* ****** ** many ******* ******* ********* the ********.

*.*. ******* **** ******* plugins **** ** ******* camera ***** ****** ** this ***..

Undisclosed #1

03/30/18 05:21pm

***** ****** ** * reward *** *** *********** time ******* ** *** some **** *** ********** to ******* **** ***** to ** **** ** stumbling **** * ******* mistake. **** ** ** cannot ***** ****** *** some ** ** ****** adopt *** ****. ********* soon ** *** **** for ********* ** **** and ************** ********* *** simply **** *** ****** of *** ****** * location ** * ******* performs. ***** ** *** password ******** ***, ** changes ****** *** **** complex **** ********, ** can ** **** *** probably ******* **** ** it ** ********* ******** can **** **.

** ******* ****** **, it ******* ** *** mindset ** *** ********** to ******** **** *** has ***** *** **** could ****** ** * day ** *** *****, emotion ** ******** *****.

John Honovich

IPVM | In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 03/30/18 05:23pm

***** ****** ** * reward *** *** *********** time

* ***** ***** ****** be *** *** ****** give **? *** ***** most ********** *** *** manufacturers, *** ** *** results ***** ****, *********** are ********** ********* **** if *** ************ ******* the **********, **** **** tie **** ** *** vulnerability *** ***** ********* at ***.

bashis mcw

In reply to John Honovich | 03/30/18 05:51pm

****, **** *** *** talking ***** **** ** NDA (*** ********** *********), quite ****** ** ** offered ******** **** "***** and/or ********* **** *****" when ********** *************** *** shared **** ***********.

*'* ***% ******* ** sign *** ***, ** once ****** *** *** not *********** *******.

*******, *** *** ******** I ******** **** **** for, ** **** ** force ** ** **** NDA ** **** ***** naturally **** *** **** for **.

bashis mcw

In reply to Undisclosed #1 | 03/30/18 06:23pm

** ******* ****** **, it ******* ** *** mindset ** *** ********** to ******** **** *** has ***** *** **** could ****** ** * day ** *** *****, emotion ** ******** *****.

** **** ** ********* in ** *******, ** it **** **** ***** researchers ** ****** *** risk *****, ***/*** *** have ******* ********** ** catch ***** *******... ***.

***, ** ****** ** come **** ********** **** to **** ******* *********** with **** / *******, or **** ************* *********, but * ********* ***** Full ********** ** *** best ****** ** *******.

Undisclosed #1

In reply to bashis mcw | 04/02/18 01:35am

***** *** ****** ***. disclosure *** **** ******. a ****** ****** **** the ******* *** ********* the ****, ******* *** internal *********** ********* ** the ************** *** ******** that ******* ******** ** which *** ********.

********** ******, ******* * have ****** ****** ****, BIDs, **** ******* ** a ****** *******. **** of ** ********* ******* to ******* *** ********* changes ** *** ********.

*****, ***** *** ******. I **** *** *** the ******** ***** ****** designs **** **** ***** vague ********** ** ******** with *****.

Avatar

Michael Glasser

04/01/18 09:46am

*** ***** **********, **** is **** *********** ** this *****. ** *********** implied.

"***/*** *****:**** ***** ********** for *** ********** ** potential *************** ** ******** and ****** ********. ** details *** ******* * vendor ****** *** ** address ****** ******* ** vulnerability **********. ***/*** *****:****"

********* - ******* ******

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