Hi folks!
Rather than wing it, I wanted to reach out and see if there are any preferred templates for notifying a SaaS/Cloud vendor of a vulnerability in their product. I searched around and found a few examples, but not exactly what I was looking for.
Particularly with regards to acknowledgement expectations, do folks typically call that out in the initial communication (e.g. “Please acknowledge receipt within 7 days”)?
Thanks in advance!
ChatGPT 4.0 provided a pretty decent response:
Hello! When notifying a SaaS/Cloud vendor of a vulnerability in their product, it’s important to communicate clearly and professionally. This helps ensure that the vendor understands the issue and can respond appropriately.
Here’s a suggested template that you can modify to suit your needs:
Subject: Vulnerability Report for [Product Name]
Dear [Vendor’s Name],
I hope this message finds you well. My name is [Your Name] and I am a [Your Profession/Role]. During the course of my work, I discovered a potential security vulnerability in your product, [Product Name]. I felt it was important to notify you directly about this issue to help ensure the safety and integrity of your product.
Here are the details of the vulnerability:
Summary of the vulnerability: [Provide a brief description of the vulnerability. This should be a clear, concise summary that anyone can understand.]
Technical Details: [Describe the technical details of the vulnerability. Explain how it can be exploited, what the potential impact is, and any other relevant information.]
Steps to Reproduce: [Provide a step-by-step guide to reproduce the vulnerability. This helps the vendor verify the vulnerability and test any fixes.]
Potential Impact: [Describe the potential impact of the vulnerability on the vendor’s customers or business.]
Suggested Remedy: [If you have any suggestions for fixing the vulnerability, include them here.]
Please understand that my intention is solely to improve the security of your product and protect users. I have not disclosed this vulnerability to any third parties and expect to coordinate any such actions with you first.
I kindly request that you acknowledge receipt of this message within [number of days, typically 7 is acceptable] days to confirm that you are aware of the issue and are taking steps to address it.
I am more than willing to provide further information or assistance as needed. Please feel free to contact me at [Your Email Address].
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Best regards,
Your Name
Regarding your question about acknowledgement expectations, it is indeed common practice to specify a timeframe for the recipient to acknowledge the report. This ensures that the report has been received and that it is being reviewed. Seven days is a commonly used timeframe, but this can vary depending on the severity of the vulnerability and the vendor’s standard response times.