Do you have a security@ email account?
When hackers or security researchers find a vulnerability in your system, they need a way to tell you. If you don’t have a [email protected] email, they might give up or go public.
Your security@ inbox is your first line of defense.
It helps with:
- Responsible disclosure from ethical hackers
- Bug bounty submissions
- Early warnings before public leaks
You don’t need a full bug bounty program to start. Just set up the email, publish it (e.g. in your security.txt), and monitor it.
Make sure it’s:
- Monitored by trusted staff (not just one person)
- Responded to quickly (aim for <48h)
- Part of your incident response process
Bad example: No security@ exists. The researcher tweets the exploit. The company finds out via media. Damage is done.
Good example: A security researcher finds a critical bug and emails security@. The team replies in 1 day, verifies the issue, patches it in a week, and thanks the reporter.
Be aware of "beg bounties" – people who send low-risk reports and demand money. You can politely thank them or ignore if it’s not a real issue.
Want ethical hackers to help you? Add a security.txt file with your security contact information. Check out how we setup ours - https://github.com/SSWConsulting/securitytxt
