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Vulnerability Disclosure Policy

What is Vulnerability Disclosure Policy?

A published policy describing how an organization accepts and handles vulnerability reports from external security researchers.

Information Security

Each of these is named in at least one of the same controls as vulnerability disclosure policy. The number is how many controls name both.

What the standards actually require on vulnerability disclosure policy

Requirements naming vulnerability disclosure policy across 6 standards, quoted from the control text.

Developing a vulnerability disclosure policy including required and recommended elements

29147-9.1 · Vulnerability disclosure policy development

Maintain a public VDP that authorizes good-faith research and provides a safe channel for reporting.

SBD-9 · Establish a Vulnerability Disclosure Policy

Per PSTI: Vulnerability Disclosure Policy Publication + handling + acknowledgement + statutory contact.

UKPSTIACT-2 · Vulnerability Disclosure Policy and Reporting

Have a policy that addresses vulnerability disclosure and remediation, and implement the roles, responsibilities, and processes needed to support it.

SP800-218-RV.1.3 · Vulnerability Disclosure Policy

Establish a vulnerability disclosure policy (VDP) allowing external researchers to report security vulnerabilities. Maintain a security.txt file.

CPG-5.D · Vulnerability Disclosure Program

The manufacturer shall make available to the public a vulnerability disclosure policy, including a contact for the disclosure of vulnerabilities and an acknowledgement timeline;

EN303645-5.2 · Implement a means to manage reports of vulnerabilities

Questions people ask about vulnerability disclosure policy

What is Vulnerability Disclosure Policy?
A published policy describing how an organization accepts and handles vulnerability reports from external security researchers.
Why is Vulnerability Disclosure Policy important for compliance?
Vulnerability Disclosure Policy is a key concept in Information Security. Understanding vulnerability disclosure policy helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Vulnerability Disclosure Policy?
Vulnerability Disclosure Policy appears in the requirement text of ISO/IEC 29147:2018, Secure by Design: A Guide for Manufacturers (CISA), UK Product Security and Telecommunications Infrastructure Act (PSTI), NIST SP 800-218, CISA Cross-Sector Cybersecurity Performance Goals (CPG) 2.0. Across these standards we have identified 9 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Vulnerability Disclosure Policy?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how vulnerability disclosure policy applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how Vulnerability Disclosure Policy applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.