0001 .. _securitybugs:
0002
0003 Security bugs
0004 =============
0005
0006 Linux kernel developers take security very seriously. As such, we'd
0007 like to know when a security bug is found so that it can be fixed and
0008 disclosed as quickly as possible. Please report security bugs to the
0009 Linux kernel security team.
0010
0011 Contact
0012 -------
0013
0014 The Linux kernel security team can be contacted by email at
0015 <security@kernel.org>. This is a private list of security officers
0016 who will help verify the bug report and develop and release a fix.
0017 If you already have a fix, please include it with your report, as
0018 that can speed up the process considerably. It is possible that the
0019 security team will bring in extra help from area maintainers to
0020 understand and fix the security vulnerability.
0021
0022 As it is with any bug, the more information provided the easier it
0023 will be to diagnose and fix. Please review the procedure outlined in
0024 'Documentation/admin-guide/reporting-issues.rst' if you are unclear about what
0025 information is helpful. Any exploit code is very helpful and will not
0026 be released without consent from the reporter unless it has already been
0027 made public.
0028
0029 Please send plain text emails without attachments where possible.
0030 It is much harder to have a context-quoted discussion about a complex
0031 issue if all the details are hidden away in attachments. Think of it like a
0032 :doc:`regular patch submission <../process/submitting-patches>`
0033 (even if you don't have a patch yet): describe the problem and impact, list
0034 reproduction steps, and follow it with a proposed fix, all in plain text.
0035
0036 Disclosure and embargoed information
0037 ------------------------------------
0038
0039 The security list is not a disclosure channel. For that, see Coordination
0040 below.
0041
0042 Once a robust fix has been developed, the release process starts. Fixes
0043 for publicly known bugs are released immediately.
0044
0045 Although our preference is to release fixes for publicly undisclosed bugs
0046 as soon as they become available, this may be postponed at the request of
0047 the reporter or an affected party for up to 7 calendar days from the start
0048 of the release process, with an exceptional extension to 14 calendar days
0049 if it is agreed that the criticality of the bug requires more time. The
0050 only valid reason for deferring the publication of a fix is to accommodate
0051 the logistics of QA and large scale rollouts which require release
0052 coordination.
0053
0054 While embargoed information may be shared with trusted individuals in
0055 order to develop a fix, such information will not be published alongside
0056 the fix or on any other disclosure channel without the permission of the
0057 reporter. This includes but is not limited to the original bug report
0058 and followup discussions (if any), exploits, CVE information or the
0059 identity of the reporter.
0060
0061 In other words our only interest is in getting bugs fixed. All other
0062 information submitted to the security list and any followup discussions
0063 of the report are treated confidentially even after the embargo has been
0064 lifted, in perpetuity.
0065
0066 Coordination
0067 ------------
0068
0069 Fixes for sensitive bugs, such as those that might lead to privilege
0070 escalations, may need to be coordinated with the private
0071 <linux-distros@vs.openwall.org> mailing list so that distribution vendors
0072 are well prepared to issue a fixed kernel upon public disclosure of the
0073 upstream fix. Distros will need some time to test the proposed patch and
0074 will generally request at least a few days of embargo, and vendor update
0075 publication prefers to happen Tuesday through Thursday. When appropriate,
0076 the security team can assist with this coordination, or the reporter can
0077 include linux-distros from the start. In this case, remember to prefix
0078 the email Subject line with "[vs]" as described in the linux-distros wiki:
0079 <http://oss-security.openwall.org/wiki/mailing-lists/distros#how-to-use-the-lists>
0080
0081 CVE assignment
0082 --------------
0083
0084 The security team does not normally assign CVEs, nor do we require them
0085 for reports or fixes, as this can needlessly complicate the process and
0086 may delay the bug handling. If a reporter wishes to have a CVE identifier
0087 assigned ahead of public disclosure, they will need to contact the private
0088 linux-distros list, described above. When such a CVE identifier is known
0089 before a patch is provided, it is desirable to mention it in the commit
0090 message if the reporter agrees.
0091
0092 Non-disclosure agreements
0093 -------------------------
0094
0095 The Linux kernel security team is not a formal body and therefore unable
0096 to enter any non-disclosure agreements.
