Effectiveness of Bug Bounty programs for network security

Bug Bounty programs were first introduced in 1983 when Ready and Hunter, Inc. offered rewards for finding a vulnerability in their Versatile Real-Time Executive (VRTX) operating system.

Bug Bounty programs are the initiatives many organizations, websites, and software developers offer. It invites all hackers publicly to discover or report a vulnerability to the software developers.

Some leading platforms are Open Bug Bounty, HackerOne, and BugCrowd.

Note: Bounty refers to a monetary reward given to the hackers for successfully identifying an unreported bug.

How does the program work?

The process of the Bug Bounty program involves multiple stages. But organizations must understand the workflow before implementing or optimizing the program thoroughly.

Given below is the detailed breakdown of how the program operates.

Program launch

The program is generally announced by the organizations which specify the rules, scope, and rewards.

Recruitment

Once the program is launched, it is open to all ethical hackersThe hackers who use their knowledge to secure the technology of the organization.. But it depends on whether the organization has opted for the private or the public Bug Bounty program.

Discovery of bug

The hackers begin to test the organization's software systems. If a bug is found, they compile a report explaining how it was found and the potential suggestions for fixing it.

Reporting the bug

Ethical hackers report any bugs or vulnerabilities by following the guidelines. The software's security team reviews the report, replicate the steps to verify the bug, and then confirms if the bug is a valid issue.

Reward allocation

If the reported vulnerabilities are confirmed, the organization compensates the hackers. The rewards are generally recognition-based or monetary, depending on the program's rules.

How to assess the effectiveness

Critically analyzing the key metrics and making relevant comparisons can help in assessing the effectiveness of the Bug Bounty programs.

Key metrics

While measuring the effectiveness, there are specific metrics we need to keep in mind.

Details of each are given below.

The number of valid bugs

The primary step to measure effectiveness is to check the total number of vulnerabilities discovered. It tells how well the program identifies the potential threats or bugs in the software and systems.

Time to resolve the bugs

The total time to find, report, fix, and test the bugs is crucial. Rapid resolution times indicate efficient collaboration between the ethical hackers and the organization’s security team.

The severity of Bugs found

The bugs' severity is an essential metric in determining the program's effectiveness. High-severity bugs, leading to system disruptions and data breaches, usually indicate the higher values the program delivers.

Comparison with traditional security methods

Companies must consider several factors when comparing Bug Bounty programs with traditional security testing methods.

Variety of perspectives

Bug Bounty programs usually yield challenging vulnerabilities because of the diverse and vast set of perspectives from the community. Traditional methods are generally limited by the perspectives and skill sets of a single team, and they may reach a different level of complexity or yield complex vulnerabilities.

Cost-effectiveness

Bug Bounty programs are usually cost-efficient as the rewards are only paid when the potential vulnerabilities are found, compared to hiring a full-time security testing team.

Ongoing testing vs Traditional penetration testing

Traditional testing is usually performed at regular intervals such as quarterly, semi-annually, and annually. There are high chances of emerging vulnerabilities shortly after the testing, which might remain undetected until the next scheduled test.

The considerable gap provides the attackers with significant opportunities to exploit the vulnerabilities.

Here are some of the suggestions to improve the effectiveness of the programs.

Improving the reward system

Companies should establish clear criteria and offer competitive rewards to attract highly skilled hackers and researchers.

Increasing transparency and communication

Companies should encourage transparency and open communication between researchers and software security teams. It leads to enhanced engagement and fewer barriers to securing the software system.

Enhancing training opportunities

To improve the skill levels within the Bug Bounty community, it is essential to organize training workshops to convey the organization's goals. It leads to quality submissions by receiving valid and actionable vulnerabilities, strengthening the security ecosystem.

Future prospects

Exploring the prospects of such programs helps us understand the potential growth, how they evolve, and their impact on cybersecurity.

The role of AI and automation

Bug Bounty programs face a major challenge of dealing with false positives - the reports that seem to find a bug but turn out to be false alarms. AI and automation can help filter out false positives, allowing more efficient use of resources.

Growth predictions

As the reliance on digital systems increases, the attack surface for potential cyber threats grows. It raises the need for more robust security measures such as Vulnerability Disclosure, Responsible Disclosure, and Bug Bounty programs.

Predictive analysis

AI offers valuable insights into historical data, such as suggesting areas where a bug might occur, the severity of an unidentified vulnerability, or patterns that indicate the underlying security issues.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the increasing popularity and effectiveness of Bug Bounty programs highlight the major role they play in cybersecurity. By actively incorporating Bug Bounty programs, companies can use the skills of expert ethical hackers, which leads to stronger security systems, ongoing testing, and a safe digital space for users.