Documenting security exploits is a critical step in responsible disclosure and effective vulnerability management. Here's a succinct guide based on the insights from Redditors on how to properly document security exploits:

Responsible Disclosure Practices

When you discover a security exploit, it's crucial to document it meticulously while adhering to ethical and legal guidelines:

• Limit Data Collection and Document Steps: Only collect the necessary data to prove the vulnerability and document every step you took. "So this is the part where responsible disclosure comes around the corner. First and foremost, do not collect any more data then needed to prove the vulnerability and document all those steps and time."

• Include Business Summary and Technical Details: Provide a clear explanation of the issue, both from a business impact perspective and with technical details for the development team. "Include a simple 'business' summary explaining the issue and technical details for the guys that will fix it."

Vulnerability Management Program

For organizations, establishing a robust vulnerability management program is key to tracking and addressing exploits:

• Centralized Tracking and Reporting: The security team should own the identification, tracking, and reporting of vulnerabilities. "Security owns identification tools, tracking and reporting"

• Prioritization and Delegation: Use vulnerability management software (VMS) to prioritize remediation efforts and delegate tasks to the appropriate teams. "Security prioritizes vulnerability remediation based on VMS, and delegates remediation."

• Effective Reporting Metrics: Focus on metrics that show a reduction in exposure over time rather than just the raw number of vulnerabilities. "We set SLAs by risk level and tracked MTTR as the main KPI. Reporting to leadership focused less on “number of vulnerabilities” and more on reduction of exposure over time, which kept us out of vanity-metric land."

Leveraging AI for Documentation and Discovery

AI tools can assist in identifying and documenting security vulnerabilities, but they should be used carefully:

• AI-Assisted Security Audits: Use AI to audit your codebase for vulnerabilities, but be explicit about your security concerns. "I’ve created a 'security prompt' that transforms AI assistants into security researchers. It systematically analyzes your codebase for exposed credentials, insufficient validation, and other common vulnerabilities."

Reporting the Exploit

Once documented, the next step is to report the exploit responsibly:

• Contact the Company Directly: Reach out to the company involved, showing a willingness to help. "I guess contacting the company about this and showing a good attitude and you're willing to help maybe will be beneficial."

• Consider Government Agencies: If direct contact is difficult or risky, report the vulnerability to a local government agency that handles such disclosures. "Report it to a local vuln reporting government agency."

Legal Considerations

Be aware of the potential legal ramifications of discovering and documenting security exploits:

• Avoid Further Data Collection or Selling: Collecting more data than necessary or attempting to sell the information can lead to legal trouble. "Reselling the data is literally a crime."

• Seek Legal Guidance if Necessary: If you are unsure about the legal implications, consult with a lawyer. "Stop what you're doing right now, and lawyer up."

Subreddits for Further Questions

For more detailed discussions and advice, consider asking in these subreddits:

• r/cybersecurity

• r/hacking

• r/webdev

• r/ChatGPTCoding