A free tamper-proof tool designed for hackers to record and preserve Proof-of-Hacks (PoH)
The ever-evolving cybersecurity landscape demands a unified and standardized approach to tackle emerging threats effectively. Hackers and bug bounty hunters play a crucial role in identifying vulnerabilities within systems and applications, helping organizations fortify their defenses against potential threats.
Yokai’s vision for the cybersecurity ecosystem is to create a security collaboration ecosystem engendering better practices and uniting the industry under one common standard. A significant step towards achieving this vision is Chronometry, a cutting-edge tamper-proof platform designed to revolutionize the way hackers record and preserve Proof-of-Hacks (PoH).
The Science of Accurate Time Measurement:
Chronometry takes its name from the science of accurate time measurement. Just as precise timekeeping is essential for various scientific disciplines, maintaining the chronology of Proof-of-Hacks is vital for the cybersecurity community. It provides an immutable record of when a vulnerability was discovered and reported, thereby enhancing transparency and credibility in the hacker community.
Understanding Proof of Hack (PoH):
A “Proof of Hack” refers to compelling evidence or a demonstration that a hacker has successfully exploited a vulnerability in a system or application. This proof is essential to verify the authenticity of a vulnerability report, giving organizations the confidence to address the identified weaknesses promptly.
The Role of Hashes in Hacker Communication:
Hackers often share details of their exploits or vulnerability findings with fellow hackers through various channels, including social media platforms like Twitter. To ensure the integrity of the shared data and to prevent tampering, hackers utilize a cryptographic technique called hashing. A hash is a unique representation of a file, in this case, the Proof-of-Concept or vulnerability report. It acts as a digital fingerprint, making it possible to verify the authenticity and integrity of the data.
Introducing Chronometry.
Chronometry serves as a secure and public ledger for hackers and bug bounty hunters to document their Proof-of-Hacks. Chronometry combines several different technologies that focus on cryptographically verifiable transparency logs and timestamping services. Chronometry can be used independently as one single process, and together with other bug bounty or vulnerability disclosure procedures.
By generating cryptographically signed signatures of the report before submitting it to bug bounty platforms, hackers can create an immutable public fingerprint of the findings. These fingerprints are signed by Chronometry and recorded as entries as part of the Merkle tree becoming part of the Merkle leaf hash computation. Thus ensuring that the data remains unaltered and tamper-evident, providing authentic and time-stamped records of the discovery. Chronometry relies on the ED25519 curve for the signature generation.
How Chronometry helps:
Immutable Proof-of-Hacks: Through cryptographic hashing, Chronometry creates unique and unalterable fingerprints of vulnerability reports with an IPFS backup. This ensures that the data’s authenticity and chronological order remain intact, serving as the basis for standardization.
Verifiable Time Stamps: The science of accurate time measurement within Chronometry allows for verifiable time stamps on each PoH entry. This feature empowers the cybersecurity community to resolve disputes and determine the first discoverer of a vulnerability accurately.
Dispute Resolution: In cases where multiple parties claim to have reported the same vulnerability, Chronometry’s verifiable timestamps can be used to resolve disputes effectively.
Improved Collaboration: Hackers can securely share their findings with others, confident that the data’s integrity remains intact, leading to increased collaboration and knowledge sharing.
Benchmark for Industry Practices: Yokai’s Chronometry sets a benchmark for industry standards, encouraging the other players to adopt standardized practices. This creates a cohesive approach across the industry, making it more robust against cyber threats.
How to use Chronometry:
Instructions for installation, usage, and verification are available in the repository where the code for Chronometry is published.
A sample entry of a vulnerability report can be accessed at: https://chronometry.io?logIndex=0
Conclusion:
In a digital landscape characterized by ever-evolving cyber threats, standardization becomes a pivotal force in promoting trust, collaboration, and efficiency within the cybersecurity industry. Chronometry is a great first step toward full standardization. By ensuring the verifiability and immutability of Proof-of-Hacks, Chronometry leads the way toward a more secure and interconnected cybersecurity community. As other industry players embrace this initiative, the cybersecurity landscape will witness increased transparency, credibility, and resilience to safeguard the digital world effectively
References:
Yokai, backed by Druid Ventures and Coinbase combines security, crowdsourcing, and emerging, distributed technologies to secure systems & software, by streamlining security collaboration across personas.
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