Crushing FUD: Embracing Ethical Hackers to Strengthen Cybersecurity

What is FUD?

Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt (FUD), are central blockers to high-efficacy security programs by creating a climate of fear and hesitation, which impedes effective decision-making and proactive measures. The primary goal of FUD is to create anxiety and distrust, which can lead to paralysis in security operations and a defensive rather than a proactive mindset.

Examples of FUD

1. Hackers Using Reports as Leverage: Companies may worry that hackers will make sensitive security reports public without consent, potentially exposing vulnerabilities before they can be mitigated. Cybercriminals may threaten to release or withhold critical security findings unless a ransom is paid, leveraging fear to coerce companies into compliance.
2. Knocking Assets Offline: The fear of attackers taking critical assets offline or causing general product disruption can paralyze decision-making and lead to overly conservative security practices.
3. Seeing Hackers as Criminals: The stereotype of hackers as solely malicious actors creates fear and mistrust, hindering collaboration with ethical hackers and security researchers.
4. Lack of Trust: General distrust within the security community, whether towards software vendors, security solutions, or even internal teams, exacerbates uncertainty and hinders cooperation.
5. Being Overwhelmed with New Vulnerabilities: The rapid influx of new vulnerabilities can overwhelm security teams without a proper triage, escalation, and remediation process, leading to a sense of helplessness.
6. Exceeding Engineering Capacity to Remediate Vulnerabilities: When the volume of vulnerabilities outpaces the ability of engineering teams to address them, it can create fear of inevitable breaches and system failures.
7. Brand Damage: The fear that any security incident, no matter how minor, will cause irreparable damage to a company’s reputation can lead to excessive risk aversion.
8. Legal Ramifications: Concerns about the legal consequences of breaches, including fines and regulatory actions, can cause a team to create more roadblocks for ethical hackers during testing.

Why FUD is Hindering Security Programs 

FUD significantly hinders cybersecurity programs by creating a paralyzing environment where decision-makers become overly cautious, leading to delays in implementing necessary security measures. This fear-driven inaction leaves organizations vulnerable to preventable attacks. Additionally, FUD often results in the misallocation of resources, as companies may invest heavily in less effective security measures out of fear, diverting critical resources away from more impactful solutions. The pervasive sense of fear and uncertainty erodes trust within the organization and with external partners, hampering collaboration and information sharing that are essential for effective cybersecurity.

Moreover, the constant pressure of dealing with FUD can lead to burnout and low morale among security professionals, decreasing overall productivity and effectiveness. This environment stifles innovation, as fear of potential vulnerabilities in new technologies can lead to resistance against adopting innovative solutions, leaving organizations behind in security advancements. Ultimately, FUD fosters a reactive rather than proactive security posture, where organizations respond to threats as they arise instead of preparing for and mitigating potential risks. To overcome these challenges, it is crucial to cultivate a culture of trust, transparency, and collaboration, replacing FUD with informed, strategic decision-making to enhance the overall security posture.

Combatting FUD: The HackerOne Journey 

HackerOne’s solution effectively crushes FUD by guiding customers through a comprehensive security journey. It begins with penetration testing (pentest) to identify and report initial vulnerabilities, providing a clear understanding of potential threats. Following this, we implement a Vulnerability Disclosure Program (VDP), which serves as a public channel for ethical hackers to submit bugs, ensuring continuous monitoring and improvement. The journey then progresses to a private Bug Bounty Program, incentivizing ethical hackers to uncover more critical and impactful vulnerabilities within your product. This holistic approach not only enhances your security posture but also addresses and mitigates common sources of customer FUD by fostering transparency, collaboration, and proactive risk management.

Researching Crowd-Sourced Vulnerability Testing

What is a VDP and a BBP?

VDP (Vulnerability Disclosure Program): A VDP is a public intake process intended to give ethical hackers directions on how and where to report a vulnerability in an organization’s systems. It ensures that vulnerabilities are identified and mitigated before they can be exploited. VDPs are often called the “see something, say something” safey net of the internet. 

BBP (Bug Bounty Program): A BBP is similar to a VDP but offers monetary rewards to ethical hackers who identify and report security flaws in an organization’s digital assets. This incentivizes more thorough testing and timely disclosure of vulnerabilities. BBPs have the option to be private or public, where you can choose which will work best for you.

What is Hacker-Powered Testing?

Hacker-powered testing leverages a global community of skilled security researchers to identify vulnerabilities in organizations’ systems. By tapping into the collective expertise of ethical hackers, organizations can uncover security flaws that might go unnoticed by traditional security assessments.

Why Add Crowd-Sourced Testing to Your Security Posture?

• Broader Coverage: Access a diverse pool of researchers with varied expertise.
• Continuous Improvement: Ongoing testing and feedback help maintain a robust security posture.
• Cost-Effective: Pay for valid vulnerability reports, reducing overall security costs.
• Enhanced Innovation: Leverage innovative approaches from the hacker community to discover unique vulnerabilities.

Getting Organizational Buy-in for Bug Bounty and VDP

Before diving into crowd-sourced testing, it’s crucial to get buy-in from key stakeholders within your organization:

Starting with a Hacker-Powered Pentest

Kick off your journey with a Hacker-Powered Pentest:

1. Clear Compliance Needs: Ensure your organization meets regulatory requirements by identifying and mitigating vulnerabilities.
2. Dip Your Feet into Ethical Hacking: Gain firsthand experience working with ethical hackers in a controlled environment.
3. Report to Leadership: Share the positive results and insights gained from the pentest to build support for further testing.
4. Make the Case for Additional Testing: Use the success of the initial pentest to advocate for more extensive crowd-sourced testing programs.

Building Up to a Public VDP

Once you’ve established initial trust and familiarity with the hacker community, transition to a Public VDP:

• General Attack Surface Coverage: Broaden the scope of testing to include all publicly accessible assets.
• Responsible Disclosure: Provide a formal channel for hackers to report vulnerabilities responsibly.
• Community Interaction: Learn to engage with the hacker community and address their findings effectively.
• Cost-Effective Discovery: Identify low-hanging fruit at a lower cost than traditional methods.

Running a HackerOne Challenge

In parallel, run a HackerOne Challenge to stress-test specific assets:

• Targeted Testing: Focus on a particular asset or feature during a time-bound event.
• Security Maturity Assessment: Evaluate the security readiness of assets before wider testing.
• Cost Reduction: Identify and fix vulnerabilities pre-deployment, reducing overall bounty payments.
• Build Familiarity: Develop rapport with a group of hackers and learn best practices for running a successful program.

Initiating a Private Ongoing Bug Bounty Program

Transition to a Private Bug Bounty Program for continuous coverage:

• Ongoing Monitoring: Maintain regular security assessments of your assets.
• Flexibility: Adapt the scope of testing based on evolving security needs.
• Incentivized Testing: Engage a curated group of hackers to continuously probe for vulnerabilities.

Growing to a Public Bug Bounty Program

Finally, scale up to a Public Bug Bounty Program to maximize coverage:

• Widest Coverage: Engage the global hacker community for the broadest possible testing.
• Continuous Improvement: Benefit from ongoing insights and vulnerability reports.
• Enhanced Reputation: Demonstrate a strong commitment to security by collaborating openly with ethical hackers.

HackerOne Is the Ultimate Solution to Dismantle FUD

By methodically leveraging HackerOne’s products, organizations can systematically dismantle Fear, Uncertainty, and Doubt associated with ethical hacking. Embrace crowd-sourced testing, build internal support, and scale your security efforts to create a robust, proactive defense against cyber threats. Together, we can create a safer digital world. To learn more, contact the expert team at HackerOne today.