The fediverse, including platforms like Mastodon and Pixelfed, is stepping up its security measures. The Nivenly Foundation, a nonprofit focused on open-source governance, announced the launch of a new security fund. This fund rewards individuals who responsibly disclose security vulnerabilities within fediverse apps and services, aiming to address potential risks. Mastodon, a decentralized social network, has already fixed numerous bugs, highlighting the need for a dedicated program to tackle security issues.
Many servers in the fediverse are independently run by operators who may lack security expertise. To address this, the Nivenly Foundation has assisted several fediverse projects in setting up security vulnerability reporting systems. The foundation is now offering financial incentives, with payouts of $250 for vulnerabilities with a CVSS score of 7.0-8.9 and $500 for more severe vulnerabilities. These funds are supported by foundation members, including individuals and trade organizations.
The security vulnerabilities are validated through the acceptance of project leads and public CVE records. The fund is currently in a trial phase, following a recent vulnerability discovered in Pixelfed, a decentralized Instagram alternative. Open-source contributor Emelia Smith identified the issue and was compensated by the foundation. A more recent incident occurred when Pixelfed’s creator made vulnerability details public prematurely, exposing users to potential attacks. The creator has since apologized for the oversight.
The program also focuses on educating project leads about responsible disclosure practices. This includes not posting vulnerabilities in public issue trackers, which could leave systems open to malicious attacks. Educating leads on security best practices may reduce the need for drastic measures like defederating to protect users. This initiative aims to strengthen the fediverse’s security posture, ensuring a safer environment for all its users.
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