Frequently Asked Questions

Cycle-Based VDP

Is the Vulnerability Disclosure Program charged per cycle?

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Yes. DarkByte's Vulnerability Disclosure Program uses a cycle-based pricing model. Each cycle can include an agreed duration, report allowance and level of service. The organization can activate another cycle when the current cycle or allocated report limit is completed.

Cycle-Based VDP

What is included in a VDP cycle?

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A VDP cycle may include a hosted disclosure page, approved program scope, researcher submission access, a defined report allowance and basic report coordination. The exact services depend on the cycle selected by the organization.

Cycle-Based VDP

What happens when a VDP cycle ends?

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When the cycle duration or report allowance ends, the organization can renew or activate another cycle. If no new cycle is activated, the program may be paused or disabled so researchers know that new testing and submissions are not currently accepted.

All Programs

Will DarkByte test our systems without permission?

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No. DarkByte will not perform or authorize security testing without written permission, an approved scope and clearly defined program rules. Researchers may only test assets explicitly included by your organization.

Managed VDP

What is included in the Managed VDP?

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Under a Managed VDP, DarkByte receives researcher submissions, performs an initial review, checks whether the issue is within scope, identifies obvious duplicate or invalid reports and coordinates communication between the researcher and your organization.

Managed VDP

Does DarkByte validate every submitted report?

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Validation depends on the selected program and service level. Managed plans can include checks for scope eligibility, reproduction details, evidence, security impact and duplicate status before a report is escalated to the organization.

Private Bug Bounty

Who can participate in a Private Bug Bounty Program?

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Only researchers invited or approved for the private program can access its scope and testing instructions. Your organization can decide the number of researchers, required experience and other participation conditions.

Private Bug Bounty

Are private program details visible publicly?

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No. Private program details are shared only with approved researchers and authorized organization representatives. Access may be restricted according to the program rules and confidentiality requirements.

Pay Per Valid Bug

How does the Pay-Per-Valid-Bug Program work?

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Your organization pays an agreed platform or triage fee when a security report is confirmed as valid, unique, within scope and actionable. Invalid, duplicate, previously known or out-of-scope reports are handled according to the agreed service terms.

Pay Per Valid Bug

Do we pay for invalid or duplicate reports?

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Normally, pay-per-valid-bug charges apply only to reports that meet the agreed validation requirements. The exact treatment of duplicate, informative, out-of-scope or previously known reports will be defined in the service agreement.

Rewards

Do we have to offer financial bug bounties?

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No. A Vulnerability Disclosure Program can operate without monetary researcher rewards. Researchers may receive acknowledgment, reputation points or another form of recognition. Financial rewards can be added when your organization chooses a bug bounty model.

Program Scope

Can we define which systems researchers may test?

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Yes. Your organization controls the program scope, including approved domains, applications, APIs and testing environments. You can also list excluded assets, prohibited testing methods, rate limits and data-handling requirements.

Report Handling

What happens after a researcher submits a report?

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The report is recorded on the DarkByte platform and handled according to the selected service. DarkByte may review the affected asset, reproduction steps, impact, evidence, scope eligibility and duplicate status before forwarding or escalating the report.

Response Time

How quickly are new reports reviewed?

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Response targets depend on the selected program and service agreement. Standard initial review may take approximately two to three working days. Faster response targets for critical reports can be included in managed service plans.

Communication

Will researchers communicate directly with our organization?

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This depends on the program configuration. DarkByte can act as the communication layer between your organization and the researcher. Direct communication may also be permitted when the organization requests it and the researcher agrees.

Program Control

Can we pause, update or stop our program?

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Yes. Your organization can request changes to the program scope, rules, rewards or availability. A program can also be paused or disabled so researchers are informed that new testing and submissions are temporarily or permanently closed.

Pricing

How does DarkByte charge for its services?

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DarkByte charges through cycle-based VDP plans, managed triage services, private bug bounty management, custom security programs and pay-per-valid-bug fees. Pricing depends on the selected cycle, report allowance, program scope and level of management required.