From: Julia Ramer <gitprplr@xxxxxxxxx>
With the recent turnover on the git-security list, questions came up how
things are usually run. Rather than answering questions individually,
extend Git's existing documentation about security vulnerabilities to
describe the git-security mailing list, how things are run on that list,
and what to expect throughout the process from the time a security bug
is reported all the way to the time when a fix is released.
Helped-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@xxxxxxxxx>
Helped-by: Taylor Blau <me@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Julia Ramer <gitprplr@xxxxxxxxx>
---
embargoed releases: also describe the git-security list and the process
Changes since v2:
* squashed Junio's patch with very minor modifications
* incorporated further feedback since v2
Changes since v1:
* Fixed the build
* Changed the wording based on various feedback
Published-As: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/releases/tag/pr-1345%2Fprplr%2Fupdate_embargo_doc-v3
Fetch-It-Via: git fetch https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git pr-1345/prplr/update_embargo_doc-v3
Pull-Request: https://github.com/gitgitgadget/git/pull/1345
Range-diff vs v2:
1: 766c92e9031 ! 1: 96250f139a9 embargoed releases: also describe the git-security list and the process
@@ Commit message
and what to expect throughout the process from the time a security bug
is reported all the way to the time when a fix is released.
+ Helped-by: Junio C Hamano <gitster@xxxxxxxxx>
+ Helped-by: Taylor Blau <me@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Signed-off-by: Julia Ramer <gitprplr@xxxxxxxxx>
## Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt ##
@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt
+Abstract: When a vulnerability is reported, we follow these guidelines to
+ assess the vulnerability, create and review a fix, and coordinate embargoed
+ security releases.
-+
+
+ How we coordinate embargoed releases
+-====================================
++------------------------------------
+
+ To protect Git users from critical vulnerabilities, we do not just release
+ fixed versions like regular maintenance releases. Instead, we coordinate
+@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt: releases with packagers, keeping the fixes under an embargo until the release
+ date. That way, users will have a chance to upgrade on that date, no matter
+ what Operating System or distribution they run.
+
+-Open a Security Advisory draft
+-------------------------------
+-
+-The first step is to https://github.com/git/git/security/advisories/new[open an
+-advisory]. Technically, it is not necessary, but it is convenient and saves a
+-bit of hassle. This advisory can also be used to obtain the CVE number and it
+-will give us a private fork associated with it that can be used to collaborate
+-on a fix.
+-
+-Release date of the embargoed version
+--------------------------------------
+-
+-If the vulnerability affects Windows users, we want to have our friends over at
+-Visual Studio on board. This means we need to target a "Patch Tuesday" (i.e. a
+-second Tuesday of the month), at the minimum three weeks from heads-up to
+-coordinated release.
+-
+-If the vulnerability affects the server side, or can benefit from scans on the
+-server side (i.e. if `git fsck` can detect an attack), it is important to give
+-all involved Git repository hosting sites enough time to scan all of those
+-repositories.
+The `git-security` mailing list
+-------------------------------
+
@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt
+affected by security vulnerabilities in Git).
+
+Most of the discussions revolve around assessing the severity of the reported
-+bugs (including the decision whether the report is security-relevant or can be
-+redirected to the public mailing list), how to remediate the bug, determining
++issue (including the decision whether the report is security-relevant or can be
++redirected to the public mailing list), how to remediate the issue, determining
+the timeline of the disclosure as well as aligning priorities and
+requirements.
+
@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt
+mail threads are not usually structured specifically to communicate
+agreements, assessments or timelines.
+
-+A bug's life: Typical timeline
-+------------------------------
-+
-+- A bug is reported to the `git-security` mailing list.
++Typical timeline
++----------------
+
-+- Within a couple of days, someone from the core Git team responds with an
-+ initial assessment of the bug’s severity.
++- A potential vulnerability is reported to the `git-security` mailing list.
+
-+- Other core developers - including the Git maintainer - chime in.
++- The security-list members start a discussion to give an initial
++ assessment of the severity of the reported potential vulnerability.
++ We aspire to do so within a few days.
+
-+- After discussion, if consensus is reached that the bug is not critical enough
++- After discussion, if consensus is reached that it is not critical enough
+ to warrant any embargo, the reporter is redirected to the public Git mailing
+ list. This ends the reporter's interaction with the `git-security` list.
+
-+- If the bug is critical enough for an embargo, ideas are presented on how to
++- If it is deemed critical enough for an embargo, ideas are presented on how to
+ address the vulnerability.
+
+- Usually around that time, the Git maintainer or their delegate(s) open a draft
+ security advisory in the `git/git` repository on GitHub (see below for more
+ details).
+
-+- Depending on the preferences of the involved contributors and reviewers, code
-+ review then happens either on the `git-security` mailing list or in a private
-+ fork associated with the draft security advisory.
++- Code review can take place in a variety of different locations,
++ depending on context. These are: patches sent inline on the
++ git-security list, a private fork on GitHub associated with the
++ draft security advisory, or the git/cabal repository.
++
++ Contributors working on a fix should consider beginning by sending
++ patches to the git-security list (inline with the original thread),
++ since they are accessible to all subscribers, along with the original
++ reporter.
+
+- Once the review has settled and everyone involved in the review agrees that
+ the patches are ready, the Git maintainer, and others determine a release date
+ as well as the release trains that are serviced. The decision regarding which
+ versions need a backported fix is based on input from the reporter, the
-+ contributor who worked on the patches, and from stakeholders (e.g. operators
-+ of hosting sites who may want to analyze whether the given bug is exploited
-+ via any of the repositories they host).
++ contributor who worked on the patches, and from stakeholders. Operators
++ of hosting sites who may want to analyze whether the given issue is exploited
++ via any of the repositories they host, and binary packagers who want to
++ make sure their product gets patched adequately against the vulnerability,
++ for example, may want to give their input at this stage.
+
+- While the Git community does its best to accommodate the specific timeline
+ requests of the various binary packagers, the nature of the issue may preclude
@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt
+- The tags are created by the Git maintainer and pushed to the same
+ repositories.
+
-+- The Git for Windows, Git for macOS, BSD, Debian, etc maintainers prepares the
++- The Git for Windows, Git for macOS, BSD, Debian, etc. maintainers prepare the
+ corresponding release artifacts, based on the tags created that have been
+ prepared by the Git maintainer.
+
-+- Git for Windows release artifacts are made available under embargo to
-+ stakeholders via a mail to the `git-security` list.
++- The release artifacts prepared by various binary packagers can be
++ made available to stakeholders under embargo via a mail to the
++ `git-security` list.
+
+- Less than a week before the release, a mail with the relevant information is
+ sent to <distros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> (see below), a list used to pre-announce
+ embargoed releases of open source projects to the stakeholders of all major
-+ Linux distributions. This includes a Git bundle of the tagged version(s), but
-+ no further specifics of the vulnerability.
++ distributions of Linux as well as other OSes. This includes a Git bundle
++ of the tagged version(s), but no further specifics of the vulnerability.
+
+- Public communication is then prepared in advance of the release date. This
+ includes blog posts and mails to the Git and Git for Windows mailing lists.
@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt
+- Git for Windows release is then announced via a mail to the public Git and
+ Git for Windows mailing lists as well as via a tweet.
+
-+- Ditto for Linux distribution packagers: their releases are announced via
-+ their preferred channels.
++- Ditto for distribution packagers for Linux and other platforms:
++ their releases are announced via their preferred channels.
+
+- A mail to <oss-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> (see below for details) is sent
+ as a follow-up to the <distros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> one, describing the
@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt
+
+Note: The Git project makes no guarantees about timelines, but aims to keep
+embargoes reasonably short in the interest of keeping Git's users safe.
-
- How we coordinate embargoed releases
--====================================
-+------------------------------------
-
- To protect Git users from critical vulnerabilities, we do not just release
- fixed versions like regular maintenance releases. Instead, we coordinate
-@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt: date. That way, users will have a chance to upgrade on that date, no matter
- what Operating System or distribution they run.
-
- Open a Security Advisory draft
--------------------------------
--
--The first step is to https://github.com/git/git/security/advisories/new[open an
--advisory]. Technically, it is not necessary, but it is convenient and saves a
--bit of hassle. This advisory can also be used to obtain the CVE number and it
--will give us a private fork associated with it that can be used to collaborate
--on a fix.
-+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
-
--Release date of the embargoed version
---------------------------------------
--
--If the vulnerability affects Windows users, we want to have our friends over at
--Visual Studio on board. This means we need to target a "Patch Tuesday" (i.e. a
--second Tuesday of the month), at the minimum three weeks from heads-up to
--coordinated release.
--
--If the vulnerability affects the server side, or can benefit from scans on the
--server side (i.e. if `git fsck` can detect an attack), it is important to give
--all involved Git repository hosting sites enough time to scan all of those
--repositories.
++
++Opening a Security Advisory draft
++~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
++
+The first step is to https://github.com/git/git/security/advisories/new[open
+an advisory]. Technically, this is not necessary. However, it is the most
+convenient way to obtain the CVE number and it give us a private repository
@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt: Thanks,
....
To: oss-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
-@@ Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt: it goes to <developer>.
-
- Thanks,
- <name>
--....
-+....
- \ No newline at end of file
.../howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt | 175 +++++++++++++++---
1 file changed, 147 insertions(+), 28 deletions(-)
diff --git a/Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt b/Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt
index 601aae88e9a..7cd8f6241c2 100644
--- a/Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt
+++ b/Documentation/howto/coordinate-embargoed-releases.txt
@@ -1,9 +1,10 @@
Content-type: text/asciidoc
-Abstract: When a critical vulnerability is discovered and fixed, we follow this
- script to coordinate a public release.
+Abstract: When a vulnerability is reported, we follow these guidelines to
+ assess the vulnerability, create and review a fix, and coordinate embargoed
+ security releases.
How we coordinate embargoed releases
-====================================
+------------------------------------
To protect Git users from critical vulnerabilities, we do not just release
fixed versions like regular maintenance releases. Instead, we coordinate
@@ -11,33 +12,151 @@ releases with packagers, keeping the fixes under an embargo until the release
date. That way, users will have a chance to upgrade on that date, no matter
what Operating System or distribution they run.
-Open a Security Advisory draft
-------------------------------
-
-The first step is to https://github.com/git/git/security/advisories/new[open an
-advisory]. Technically, it is not necessary, but it is convenient and saves a
-bit of hassle. This advisory can also be used to obtain the CVE number and it
-will give us a private fork associated with it that can be used to collaborate
-on a fix.
-
-Release date of the embargoed version
--------------------------------------
-
-If the vulnerability affects Windows users, we want to have our friends over at
-Visual Studio on board. This means we need to target a "Patch Tuesday" (i.e. a
-second Tuesday of the month), at the minimum three weeks from heads-up to
-coordinated release.
-
-If the vulnerability affects the server side, or can benefit from scans on the
-server side (i.e. if `git fsck` can detect an attack), it is important to give
-all involved Git repository hosting sites enough time to scan all of those
-repositories.
+The `git-security` mailing list
+-------------------------------
+
+Responsible disclosures of vulnerabilities, analysis, proposed fixes as
+well as the orchestration of coordinated embargoed releases all happen on the
+`git-security` mailing list at <git-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>.
+
+In this context, the term "embargo" refers to the time period that information
+about a vulnerability is kept under wraps and only shared on a need-to-know
+basis. This is necessary to protect Git's users from bad actors who would
+otherwise be made aware of attack vectors that could be exploited. "Lifting the
+embargo" refers to publishing the version that fixes the vulnerabilities.
+
+Audience of the `git-security` mailing list
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+Anybody may contact the `git-security` mailing list by sending an email
+to <git-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, though the archive is closed to the
+public and only accessible to subscribed members.
+
+There are a few dozen subscribed members: core Git developers who are trusted
+with addressing vulnerabilities, and stakeholders (i.e. owners of products
+affected by security vulnerabilities in Git).
+
+Most of the discussions revolve around assessing the severity of the reported
+issue (including the decision whether the report is security-relevant or can be
+redirected to the public mailing list), how to remediate the issue, determining
+the timeline of the disclosure as well as aligning priorities and
+requirements.
+
+Communications
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+If you are a stakeholder, it is a good idea to pay close attention to the
+discussions, as pertinent information may be buried in the middle of a lively
+conversation that might not look relevant to your interests. For example, the
+tentative timeline might be agreed upon in the middle of discussing code
+comment formatting in one of the patches and whether or not to combine fixes
+for multiple, separate vulnerabilities into the same embargoed release. Most
+mail threads are not usually structured specifically to communicate
+agreements, assessments or timelines.
+
+Typical timeline
+----------------
+
+- A potential vulnerability is reported to the `git-security` mailing list.
+
+- The security-list members start a discussion to give an initial
+ assessment of the severity of the reported potential vulnerability.
+ We aspire to do so within a few days.
+
+- After discussion, if consensus is reached that it is not critical enough
+ to warrant any embargo, the reporter is redirected to the public Git mailing
+ list. This ends the reporter's interaction with the `git-security` list.
+
+- If it is deemed critical enough for an embargo, ideas are presented on how to
+ address the vulnerability.
+
+- Usually around that time, the Git maintainer or their delegate(s) open a draft
+ security advisory in the `git/git` repository on GitHub (see below for more
+ details).
+
+- Code review can take place in a variety of different locations,
+ depending on context. These are: patches sent inline on the
+ git-security list, a private fork on GitHub associated with the
+ draft security advisory, or the git/cabal repository.
+
+ Contributors working on a fix should consider beginning by sending
+ patches to the git-security list (inline with the original thread),
+ since they are accessible to all subscribers, along with the original
+ reporter.
+
+- Once the review has settled and everyone involved in the review agrees that
+ the patches are ready, the Git maintainer, and others determine a release date
+ as well as the release trains that are serviced. The decision regarding which
+ versions need a backported fix is based on input from the reporter, the
+ contributor who worked on the patches, and from stakeholders. Operators
+ of hosting sites who may want to analyze whether the given issue is exploited
+ via any of the repositories they host, and binary packagers who want to
+ make sure their product gets patched adequately against the vulnerability,
+ for example, may want to give their input at this stage.
+
+- While the Git community does its best to accommodate the specific timeline
+ requests of the various binary packagers, the nature of the issue may preclude
+ a prolonged release schedule. For fixes deemed urgent, it may be in the best
+ interest of the Git users community to shorten the disclosure and release
+ timeline, and packagers may need to adapt accordingly.
+
+- Subsequently, branches with the fixes are pushed to private repositories that
+ are owned by the Git project, with tightly controlled access.
+
+- The tags are created by the Git maintainer and pushed to the same
+ repositories.
+
+- The Git for Windows, Git for macOS, BSD, Debian, etc. maintainers prepare the
+ corresponding release artifacts, based on the tags created that have been
+ prepared by the Git maintainer.
+
+- The release artifacts prepared by various binary packagers can be
+ made available to stakeholders under embargo via a mail to the
+ `git-security` list.
+
+- Less than a week before the release, a mail with the relevant information is
+ sent to <distros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> (see below), a list used to pre-announce
+ embargoed releases of open source projects to the stakeholders of all major
+ distributions of Linux as well as other OSes. This includes a Git bundle
+ of the tagged version(s), but no further specifics of the vulnerability.
+
+- Public communication is then prepared in advance of the release date. This
+ includes blog posts and mails to the Git and Git for Windows mailing lists.
+
+- On the day of the release, at around 10am Pacific Time, the Git maintainer
+ pushes the tag and the `master` branch to the public repository, then sends
+ out an announcement mail.
+
+- Once the tag is pushed, the Git for Windows maintainer publishes the
+ corresponding tag and creates a GitHub Release with the associated release
+ artifacts (Git for Windows installer, Portable Git, MinGit, etc).
+
+- Git for Windows release is then announced via a mail to the public Git and
+ Git for Windows mailing lists as well as via a tweet.
+
+- Ditto for distribution packagers for Linux and other platforms:
+ their releases are announced via their preferred channels.
+
+- A mail to <oss-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> (see below for details) is sent
+ as a follow-up to the <distros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> one, describing the
+ vulnerability in detail, often including a proof of concept of an exploit.
+
+Note: The Git project makes no guarantees about timelines, but aims to keep
+embargoes reasonably short in the interest of keeping Git's users safe.
+
+Opening a Security Advisory draft
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
+
+The first step is to https://github.com/git/git/security/advisories/new[open
+an advisory]. Technically, this is not necessary. However, it is the most
+convenient way to obtain the CVE number and it give us a private repository
+associated with it that can be used to collaborate on a fix.
Notifying the Linux distributions
----------------------------------
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
At most two weeks before release date, we need to send a notification to
-distros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx, preferably less than 7 days before the release date.
+<distros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, preferably less than 7 days before the release date.
This will reach most (all?) Linux distributions. See an example below, and the
guidelines for this mailing list at
https://oss-security.openwall.org/wiki/mailing-lists/distros#how-to-use-the-lists[here].
@@ -65,7 +184,7 @@ created using a command like this:
tar cJvf cve-xxx.bundle.tar.xz cve-xxx.bundle
Example mail to distros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
----------------------------------------
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
....
To: distros@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
@@ -101,7 +220,7 @@ Thanks,
....
Example mail to oss-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
------------------------------------------------
+~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
....
To: oss-security@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
base-commit: e72d93e88cb20b06e88e6e7d81bd1dc4effe453f
--
gitgitgadget
