This document outlines the process for identifying, assessing, and remediating security vulnerabilities in the Stellar Tipz project dependencies.

The project runs automated vulnerability scans weekly via GitHub Actions:

• Rust Dependencies: cargo audit scans for vulnerabilities in Soroban contract dependencies
• JavaScript Dependencies: npm audit --audit-level=high scans frontend and contract npm packages
• Schedule: Every Monday at 00:00 UTC

Dependabot automatically creates pull requests for dependency updates:

• Frequency: Weekly on Mondays
• Scope: All Rust, JavaScript, and GitHub Actions dependencies
• Grouping: Related updates are grouped together (e.g., React dependencies, Stellar SDK dependencies)
• Labels: All PRs are labeled with dependencies and the appropriate ecosystem

• Action Required: Immediate remediation (within 24-48 hours)
• Impact: Exploitable vulnerabilities that can lead to complete system compromise
• Process:
  1. Create emergency fix PR
  2. Request immediate review from maintainers
  3. Deploy hotfix to production
  4. Communicate to users if data exposure is possible

• Action Required: Remediation within 1 week
• Impact: Vulnerabilities that could lead to significant data loss or service disruption
• Process:
  1. Assess exploitability in our context
  2. Create fix PR
  3. Include in next scheduled release
  4. Monitor for exploitation attempts

• Action Required: Remediation within 1 month
• Impact: Vulnerabilities with limited impact or requiring specific conditions
• Process:
  1. Evaluate risk vs. upgrade effort
  2. Schedule for next minor release
  3. Track in project backlog

• Action Required: Remediation when convenient
• Impact: Minor vulnerabilities with minimal impact
• Process:
  1. Address during regular dependency updates
  2. No immediate action required

Vulnerabilities are detected through:

• Automated weekly scans (GitHub Actions)
• Dependabot security alerts
• Manual security advisories
• Community reports

For each detected vulnerability:

1. Review the advisory: Understand the vulnerability details, affected versions, and exploitability
2. Check impact: Determine if the vulnerable code path is used in our application
3. Assess severity: Use CVSS score and exploitability to determine priority
4. Identify fix: Find the patched version or alternative solution

1. Review the PR description and changelog
2. Test the changes locally:

   # For Rust dependencies
   cd contracts
   cargo update
   cargo test
   
   # For JavaScript dependencies
   cd frontend-scaffold
   npm install
   npm test

3. Merge if tests pass and no breaking changes

1. Update the dependency to a patched version
2. Run tests to ensure compatibility
3. Create a PR with:
   • Clear description of the vulnerability
   • Reference to the security advisory
   • Test results
   • Any code changes required

1. Critical vulnerabilities: Deploy hotfix immediately
2. High vulnerabilities: Include in next release
3. Medium/Low vulnerabilities: Include in next minor/major release

After deployment:

1. Re-run security scans to confirm fix
2. Monitor application logs for exploitation attempts
3. Verify no regressions in functionality

cd contracts
cargo install cargo-audit
cargo audit --deny warnings

# Frontend
cd frontend-scaffold
npm audit --audit-level=high

# Contracts
cd contracts
npm audit --audit-level=high

# For npm
npm audit fix

# For manual fixes
npm install package@latest

# For cargo
cargo update package

1. Keep dependencies updated: Regularly review and update dependencies
2. Lock files: Commit package-lock.json and Cargo.lock to ensure reproducible builds
3. Pin versions: Use exact versions for critical dependencies
4. Review advisories: Subscribe to security advisories for key dependencies
5. Test updates: Always test dependency updates before merging
6. Monitor alerts: Configure alerts for security notifications

If a security incident occurs:

1. Immediate Actions:

   • Identify the scope of the vulnerability
   • Determine if user data is affected
   • Assess if immediate shutdown is required

2. Communication:

   • Notify maintainers and stakeholders
   • Prepare public communication if user data is exposed
   • Coordinate with security team if applicable

3. Remediation:

   • Apply patches following the process above
   • Deploy fixes with urgency
   • Monitor for exploitation attempts

4. Post-Incident:

   • Conduct post-mortem analysis
   • Update security practices based on lessons learned
   • Document the incident for future reference

• GitHub Security Advisories
• NPM Security
• Rust Security Advisories
• CVSS Calculator
• Dependabot Documentation

For security concerns or to report a vulnerability:

• Create a private security advisory on GitHub
• Contact maintainers directly
• Follow the project's security policy