Vulnerability Disclosure Programme

Vulnerability Disclosure Programme

GovTech has established the Vulnerability Disclosure Programme (VDP) to encourage the responsible reporting of suspected vulnerabilities or weaknesses in IT services, systems, resources and/or processes which may potentially affect government internet-accessible applications.

This is part of the Government Technology Agency’s (GovTech) ongoing efforts to ensure the cybersecurity of government internet-accessible applications used by citizens, businesses and public sector employees. We look forward to working with the cybersecurity research community and members of the public to keep our services safe for all users.

Please note that the VDP does not authorise or permit the taking of any action which may contravene applicable laws and regulations (e.g., Computer Misuse Act). For the avoidance of doubt, attempts to exploit or test suspected vulnerabilities (e.g., gaining unauthorised access to any computer program or data) are prohibited.

Code of conduct for VDP participants

a. Act responsibly for the sole purpose of reporting suspected vulnerabilities and safeguarding users from damage, harm or loss

b. Avoid causing any kind of damage, harm or loss to individuals or organisations (e.g. you should not attempt to test, reproduce or verify the suspected vulnerability, or take any action which may cause interruption to or degradation of any services)

c. Conduct yourself in accordance with applicable laws and regulations at all times. If you have any doubt about such laws or regulations, please seek professional legal advice. Under no circumstances should you attempt to exfiltrate any computer data or publish details of any suspected vulnerability

d. Upon detection of a suspected vulnerability, please notify us immediately or as soon as possible by submitting a report through the “Click to Report Vulnerability” button below

e. Where applicable, provide your name, email address and mobile number in the suspected vulnerability report so that we may contact you for clarifications. Include the name(s) and email(s) of other person(s) to whom you may have disclosed the suspected vulnerability

f. Provide adequate information in the suspected vulnerability report so that we may work with you on validating the suspected vulnerability. Please include these details (where available):

• Description of the suspected vulnerability
• IP address and/or URL of the subject service
• Configuration and version of the subject software
• Description of the circumstances, including date(s) and time(s), leading to your reporting of the suspected vulnerability
• Description of the reason(s) why you believe the suspected vulnerability may impact the subject service and the extent of such suspected potential impact (e.g. describe how you believe the suspected vulnerability might potentially operate)

What NOT to do

a. Act in any way which may contravene applicable laws and regulations (e.g., the Computer Misuse Act)

b. Publish or publicly disclose any suspected vulnerability to any third party before it is resolved. Malicious actors may exploit the suspected vulnerability to cause damage, harm or loss to individuals and organisations

c. Deploy destructive, disruptive or other unlawful means to detect vulnerabilities (e.g., attacks on physical security, social engineering, denial of service, brute force attacks)

d. Exploit, test or otherwise use any suspected vulnerability (e.g., taking any step(s) to access, copy, create, delete, modify, manipulate or download any data or programme, build system backdoor(s), modify system configuration(s), facilitate or share system access)

As part of the VDP, GovTech will:

a. Act as coordinator between you and the relevant public sector agency or agencies (“Stakeholders”) which may be affected by the suspected vulnerability

b. Acknowledge receipt of your suspected vulnerability report and notify the Stakeholders of the suspected vulnerability within 3 business days from our receipt of your report

c. Work with you and the Stakeholders to resolve any validated vulnerability within 90 business days from our receipt of your report

d. Upon the validation of your suspected vulnerability report and at our sole discretion, accord appropriate recognition to you for your contribution(s) in reporting and/or resolving the validated vulnerability

GovTech will not in any way:

a. Accord or provide you with any kind of exemption, immunity, indemnity or shield from civil or criminal liability (if any) under applicable laws and regulations

b. Be liable for any expense, damage or loss of any kind which you may incur due to any action taken or not taken by us in relation to any suspected vulnerability you may report

c. Accept or assume any responsibility for the contents of any suspected vulnerability report submitted by you, nor shall our acknowledgment or processing of such report constitute any kind of acceptance or endorsement of the contents therein

d. Be obliged to consult you for any media or public statement that we and/or any Stakeholders may decide to publish or release in relation to the suspected or validated vulnerability

e. Provide you with any cash reward or financial incentive of any kind for the detection and/or resolution of the validated vulnerability