Augmenting Bug Bounty Programs with Artificial Bugs for Crowdsearch: Efficiency Gains and Implementation

Khái niệm cốt lõi

Inserting artificial bugs in bug bounty programs can increase efficiency and lower costs for organizations, benefiting both designers and participants.

Tóm tắt

Bug bounty programs are essential for detecting vulnerabilities in software. Inserting artificial bugs can incentivize participants to search for real bugs efficiently. The paper discusses the benefits of artificial bugs, their implementation, and other potential advantages.
Bug bounty programs have become a major tool for improving system security. They are used by companies like Google and Meta, as well as blockchain infrastructure providers.
Artificial bugs can increase incentives to search for real bugs in crowdsearch models. They offer efficiency gains by lowering financial commitments while motivating more participants to search.
The paper suggests that inserting just one artificial bug can lead to significant efficiency gains. It outlines different engineering approaches to implement artificial bugs and highlights their benefits.
Artificial bugs are particularly beneficial when designers value finding organic bugs highly or have budget constraints. They can be implemented using encryption, commitment schemes, or zero-knowledge proofs.
Other benefits of artificial bugs include screening invalid submissions, gauging participation levels, and renewing interest in bug bounty programs over time.

Thống kê

Bug bounty programs attract less than 25% valid submissions (Zhao et al., 2017).
Inserting an artificial bug lowers financial commitment (Gersbach et al., 2023).
Just one artificial bug can lead to significant efficiency gains (Gersbach et al., 2023).
Artificial bugs help screen invalid submissions (Zhao et al., 2017).
Artificial bugs can gauge participation levels in bug bounty programs (Zhao et al., 2017).
Artificial bugs help renew interest in bug bounty programs over time (Maillart et al., 2017).

Trích dẫn

Thông tin chi tiết chính được chắt lọc từ

Artificial Bugs for Crowdsearch

by Hans Gersbac... lúc arxiv.org 03-15-2024

https://arxiv.org/pdf/2403.09484.pdf

Yêu cầu sâu hơn

How do different engineering approaches compare in implementing artificial bugs?

In the context of bug bounty programs, three main engineering approaches can be used to implement artificial bugs: encryption, commitment schemes, and zero-knowledge proofs.

Encryption: This approach involves encrypting the original code block and the modified code block with the artificial bug before the crowdsearch starts. Participants are provided with decryption keys after the crowdsearch ends to verify the existence of the artificial bug.

Commitment Schemes: With commitment schemes, a commitment is made over the modified code block containing the artificial bug before participants start searching for vulnerabilities. The commitment is then opened at the end of the program to prove that an artificial bug was inserted.

Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZK): ZK proofs allow designers to demonstrate that an artificial bug exists without revealing its location or underlying technique. Before starting a crowdsearch, designers can use ZK proofs to convince participants of an artificial bug's presence without disclosing sensitive information.

Each approach has its advantages and challenges:

Encryption provides secure verification but requires key management.
Commitment schemes offer transparency but may require trust in third parties.
Zero-knowledge proofs provide privacy protection but may be complex to implement effectively.

What ethical considerations should be taken into account when using artificial bugs in bug bounty programs?

When using artificial bugs in bug bounty programs, several ethical considerations must be addressed:

Transparency: It is essential to inform participants about the presence of artifical bugs upfront and ensure they understand their purpose within the program.

Fair Compensation: Participants who find both organic and artifical bugs should receive fair rewards based on their efforts regardless of whether they found real or fake vulnerabilities.

Participant Consent: Participants should consent to engaging in a program where artifical bugs are present as it may impact their search strategies and effort allocation.

Disclosure Policies: Clear policies on how artifical bugs will be disclosed after a program ends need to be established to maintain trust between organizers and participants.

Data Privacy: Ensure that any data collected during searches for both organic and artifical bugs is handled securely and respects participant privacy rights.

How can credibility of inserting artificial bugs be ensured without relying on third parties?

To ensure credibility when inserting artifical bugs without relying on third parties, organizations can employ cryptographic techniques such as commitments or zero-knowledge proofs internally:
1.Commitments: Designers can commit privately beforehand by creating commitments over modified blocks containing fake vulnerabilities which are later revealed post-search period ensuring integrity while maintaining anonymity
2Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Utilizing ZKPs allows proving knowledge about inserted false positives w/o revealing details pre-crowdsource; this ensures credibility through verifiable proof mechanisms internally
By leveraging these cryptographic methods internally within organizations conducting Bug Bounty Programs ensures authenticity & reliability regarding insertion & detection outcomes