security.txt is a proposed standard which allows websites to define security policies. The security.txt file sets clear guidelines for security researchers on how to report security issues. security.txt is the equivalent of robots.txt, but for security issues.

“ When security vulnerabilities are discovered by researchers, proper reporting channels are often lacking. As a result, vulnerabilities may be left unreported. This document defines a format ("security.txt") to help organizations describe their vulnerability disclosure practices to make it easier for researchers to report vulnerabilities.”

Website

Project website: https://securitytxt.org/ (https://github.com/securitytxt/securitytxt.org)

Internet draft website: https://securitytxt.io/ (https://github.com/securitytxt/security-txt/tree/master/docs)

Security.txt GitHub Organization

https://github.com/securitytxt/

Internet draft

The Internet draft for security.txt can be found here: https://tools.ietf.org/html/draft-foudil-securitytxt.

Building the Draft

To build the text and HTML drafts, use the following make command.

$ make clean
$ make txt
$ make html

This requires that you have the necessary software installed. See the instructions.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main purpose of security.txt?

The main purpose of security.txt is to help make things easier for companies and security researchers when trying to secure platforms. Thanks to security.txt, security researchers can easily get in touch with companies about security issues.

Is security.txt an RFC?

security.txt is currently an Internet draft that has been submitted for RFC review. This means that security.txt is still in the early stages of development. We welcome contributions from the public: https://github.com/securitytxt/security-txt

Where should I put the security.txt file?

For websites, the security.txt file should be placed under the /.well-known/ path (/.well-known/security.txt) [RFC8615]. It can also be placed in the root directory (/security.txt) of a website, especially if the /.well-known/ directory cannot be used for technical reasons, or simply as a fallback. The file can be placed in both locations of a website at the same time. For code repositories, the file should be placed in the root directory of the repository.

Are there any settings I should apply to the file?

The security.txt file should have an Internet Media Type of text/plain and must be served over HTTPS.

Will adding an email address expose me to spam bots?

The email value is an optional field. If you are worried about spam, you can set a URI as the value and link to your security policy.

Code of conduct

To maintain an orderly, productive, and fun environment, the security.txt project have a few guidelines that we ask people to adhere to when they are participating in contributing to the project. These guidelines apply equally to everyone within the security.txt project. Likewise, they apply to all spaces managed by the security.txt project, both online and offline. This includes GitHub repositories, chat rooms, in-person events, and any other communication channels.

• Be welcoming, friendly, patient, and kind.
• Be respectful.
• Be cautious with how you word things. Our goal is to remain professional.
• When we disagree, try to understand why.
• Direct contributions to the specification will only be accepted from individuals ^[1]. The security.txt project will not accept contributions to the specification in the name of an organisation. This is to ensure that the specifications and tools remain as neutral as possible.
• Registering an account on any service in the name of the security.txt project must be clearly communicated via the team first.

Contributing

Contributions from the public are welcome.

Using the issue tracker 💡

The issue tracker is the preferred channel for bug reports and features requests.

Issues and labels 🏷

The bug tracker utilizes several labels to help organize and identify issues.

Guidelines for bug reports 🐛

Use the GitHub issue search — check if the issue has already been reported.