Security Policy

1. Security Overview

Mcaster1DNAS is open-source streaming server software that handles sensitive operations including authentication, data streaming, and network communications. Security is fundamental to our design and development process.

Our Security Principles

• Security by Design: Security considerations from the initial architecture
• Defense in Depth: Multiple layers of security controls
• Least Privilege: Minimal permissions and access by default
• Open Source Transparency: Public code review and community auditing
• Rapid Response: Quick patches for identified vulnerabilities
• Privacy First: No telemetry or data collection by default

Security Features

• TLS/SSL encryption for streams and admin interfaces
• Strong password hashing (bcrypt/scrypt)
• Role-based access controls
• Input validation and sanitization
• Protection against common web vulnerabilities (XSS, CSRF, injection)
• Secure default configurations
• Regular dependency updates

2. Reporting Security Vulnerabilities

Reporting Methods

Method 1: Private Email (Preferred for Critical Issues)

• Email: davestj@gmail.com
• Subject Line: "SECURITY - Mcaster1DNAS Vulnerability Report"
• Encryption: PGP encryption welcome (key available on request)
• Response Time: Within 48 hours for initial acknowledgment

Method 2: GitHub Security Advisories

• URL: Create Private Security Advisory
• Visibility: Only visible to repository maintainers
• Collaboration: Allows private discussion and patch development

What to Include in Your Report

A good vulnerability report includes:

1. Description: Clear summary of the vulnerability
2. Impact: What can an attacker do? Who is affected?
3. Steps to Reproduce: Detailed instructions to verify the issue
4. Proof of Concept: Code, scripts, or screenshots demonstrating the vulnerability
5. Affected Versions: Which versions of Mcaster1DNAS are vulnerable
6. Suggested Fix: If you have remediation suggestions (optional)
7. Your Contact Info: For follow-up questions and credit

3. Responsible Disclosure Policy

We follow responsible disclosure principles to protect users while allowing researchers to receive credit for their findings.

Our Commitments to Researchers

• Acknowledge receipt within 48 hours
• Provide regular updates on remediation progress
• Work with you to understand and validate the vulnerability
• Give appropriate credit in security advisories (if desired)
• Not pursue legal action against good-faith security researchers
• Coordinate public disclosure timing

Disclosure Timeline

Our standard disclosure timeline:

1. Day 0: Vulnerability reported
2. Day 1-2: Initial acknowledgment sent
3. Day 3-7: Validation and impact assessment
4. Day 8-30: Patch development and testing
5. Day 30-45: Patch release and security advisory
6. Day 45-90: Public disclosure (coordinated with researcher)

What We Ask of Researchers

• Give us reasonable time to fix vulnerabilities before public disclosure
• Do not exploit vulnerabilities beyond proof-of-concept testing
• Do not access, modify, or delete user data
• Do not perform testing on production systems you don't own
• Do not use vulnerabilities for personal gain
• Coordinate disclosure timing with us

4. Our Security Response Process

Vulnerability Handling Workflow

1. Triage:
   • Acknowledge report within 48 hours
   • Assign severity level (Critical, High, Medium, Low)
   • Determine affected versions and components
2. Investigation:
   • Reproduce the vulnerability in test environment
   • Assess impact and exploitability
   • Identify root cause
3. Development:
   • Design and implement fix
   • Create unit and integration tests
   • Review code changes
4. Testing:
   • Verify fix resolves vulnerability
   • Ensure no regressions
   • Performance impact testing
5. Release:
   • Prepare security advisory
   • Release patched version
   • Notify users of security update
6. Disclosure:
   • Publish security advisory (CVE if applicable)
   • Credit researcher (if desired)
   • Update security documentation

Severity Levels

We categorize vulnerabilities using these severity levels:

CRITICAL Critical: Remote code execution, authentication bypass, complete system compromise

HIGH High: Privilege escalation, sensitive data exposure, DoS of critical services

MEDIUM Medium: Information disclosure, partial DoS, authentication weaknesses

LOW Low: Minor information leaks, configuration issues, minimal impact

5. Our Security Development Practices

Secure Development Lifecycle

• Code Review: All changes reviewed by multiple developers
• Static Analysis: Automated scanning for common vulnerabilities
• Dependency Scanning: Regular checks for vulnerable dependencies
• Fuzzing: Automated input fuzzing for parser robustness
• Penetration Testing: Periodic security assessments
• Secure Defaults: Security-first default configurations

Security Resources

• OWASP Guidelines: Following OWASP Top 10 and secure coding practices
• CWE Mitigation: Addressing Common Weakness Enumeration issues
• NIST Standards: Aligning with NIST security frameworks
• Industry Best Practices: Following streaming media security standards

Vulnerability Prevention

We actively prevent common vulnerability classes:

• Injection Attacks: Parameterized queries, input validation
• Buffer Overflows: Bounds checking, safe string operations
• XSS: Output encoding, Content Security Policy
• CSRF: Token validation, SameSite cookies
• Path Traversal: Path canonicalization, access controls
• Cryptographic Failures: Modern algorithms, proper key management

6. Security Updates & Patch Management

Update Notifications

Stay informed about security updates:

• GitHub Releases: Release notifications
• Security Advisories: GitHub Security tab
• GitHub Watch: Enable "Releases only" or "All activity" notifications
• RSS Feed: Subscribe to release RSS feed

Applying Security Updates

Supported Versions

We provide security updates for:

• Latest Release: Full support with active development
• Previous Major Version: Critical security patches for 6 months
• Older Versions: No security patches; please upgrade

7. Security Best Practices for Server Operators

Authentication & Access Control

• Use strong, unique passwords (20+ characters, random)
• Change default admin credentials immediately
• Implement IP whitelisting for admin access
• Use SSH key authentication (disable password auth)
• Enable two-factor authentication where possible
• Regularly rotate credentials

Network Security

• Enable TLS/SSL for all connections (streams, admin, API)
• Use strong cipher suites (TLS 1.2+, AES-256)
• Configure firewall rules (allow only necessary ports)
• Implement rate limiting to prevent abuse
• Use fail2ban or similar for brute force protection
• Consider VPN or private networks for admin access

Configuration Hardening

• Run Mcaster1DNAS as a non-root user
• Set appropriate file permissions (configs 600, binaries 755)
• Disable unnecessary features and modules
• Configure resource limits (connections, bandwidth)
• Enable security headers (HSTS, X-Frame-Options, CSP)
• Use secure random number generation

Monitoring & Logging

• Enable comprehensive logging (access, errors, security events)
• Monitor logs for suspicious activity
• Set up alerts for failed login attempts, errors
• Use log rotation to manage disk space
• Consider centralized logging (syslog, ELK stack)
• Regularly review logs for anomalies

Data Protection

• Encrypt sensitive data at rest and in transit
• Regular backups with encryption
• Secure backup storage (offsite, encrypted)
• Test disaster recovery procedures
• Implement data retention policies
• Securely delete sensitive data when no longer needed

System Security

• Keep operating system updated
• Update dependencies regularly (libxml2, OpenSSL, etc.)
• Install security patches promptly
• Run antivirus/antimalware scans
• Enable SELinux or AppArmor for mandatory access control
• Use intrusion detection systems (IDS/IPS)

8. Security Deployment Checklist

Before deploying Mcaster1DNAS to production:

9. Security Researcher Hall of Fame

We recognize and thank security researchers who have responsibly disclosed vulnerabilities:

If you've reported a vulnerability and would like to be listed here, please let us know your preferred attribution.

10. Security Contact Information

For security-related inquiries, vulnerability reports, or urgent security matters:

• Email: davestj@gmail.com
• Subject: "SECURITY - [Brief Description]"
• GitHub Security: Security Advisories
• Response Time: 48 hours for initial acknowledgment