# External Security Audit Engagement

This document outlines how to prepare for, engage, and respond to external security audits of Symaira Vault.

## Overview

External security audits provide independent verification of Symaira Vault's security posture. They complement our continuous internal security work and help identify blind spots.

## Audit Types

### 1. Code Security Audit
- **Scope**: Source code review focusing on cryptography, authentication, authorization, and secret handling
- **Duration**: 2-4 weeks
- **Deliverables**: Vulnerability report with CVSS scores, exploitability analysis, remediation guidance

### 2. Penetration Testing
- **Scope**: Runtime security assessment of the MCP server, vault operations, and token system
- **Duration**: 1-2 weeks
- **Deliverables**: Attack chain documentation, proof-of-concept exploits, remediation guidance

### 3. Architecture Review
- **Scope**: High-level design review of the threat model, trust boundaries, and security controls
- **Duration**: 1 week
- **Deliverables**: Threat model validation, architecture recommendations, control gap analysis

## Preparation Checklist

### Before Engagement

- [ ] **Define scope**: Explicitly include/exclude components (e.g., "include vault crypto, exclude UI styling")
- [ ] **Provide access**:
  - Source code (full repository access)
  - Architecture documentation (`ARCHITECTURE.md`, ADRs, this doc)
  - Build instructions and development environment setup
  - Test credentials (in a dedicated test vault)
- [ ] **Document known issues**: Share the GitHub security issues backlog and any known limitations
- [ ] **Set up test environment**: Provide an isolated test vault with sample data
- [ ] **NDA and legal**: Ensure appropriate confidentiality agreements are in place
- [ ] **Point of contact**: Designate a technical lead available for questions

### Materials to Provide

1. **Source Code Access**
   - Full git repository with commit history
   - Dependency manifests (`go.mod`, `go.sum`)
   - Build scripts and CI/CD configuration

2. **Documentation**
   - `ARCHITECTURE.md` - System architecture and data flow
   - `SECURITY.md` - Security policy and vulnerability reporting
   - `docs/adr/` - Architecture Decision Records
   - `docs/observability.md` - Monitoring and audit logging
   - Threat model document (if available)

3. **Test Environment**
   - Pre-built binary or build from source instructions
   - Sample vault with test entries (no real secrets)
   - MCP server configuration for testing
   - API documentation (`docs/mcp-api.md`)

4. **Previous Audit Results**
   - Prior audit reports (if any)
   - Remediation status for previous findings
   - Regression test suite

## Engagement Process

### Week 1: Kickoff and Reconnaissance
- Auditor onboarding and environment setup
- Architecture walkthrough with development team
- Threat model review
- Tool access and credential provisioning

### Week 2-3: Assessment
- Code review (static analysis + manual review)
- Dynamic testing (runtime analysis)
- Configuration review
- Cryptographic implementation review

### Week 4: Reporting
- Draft report review
- Clarification questions
- Final report delivery
- Remediation planning

## Response Process

### Receiving Findings

1. **Triage** (within 48 hours)
   - Validate each finding
   - Assign severity (Critical/High/Medium/Low/Info)
   - Determine exploitability in Symaira Vault context

2. **Track** (within 1 week)
   - Create GitHub security advisory for each confirmed vulnerability
   - Assign to relevant team member
   - Set target remediation date based on severity:
     - Critical: 7 days
     - High: 30 days
     - Medium: 90 days
     - Low: 180 days

3. **Remediate**
   - Implement fixes
   - Add regression tests
   - Update documentation if needed
   - Request re-test from auditor for critical/high findings

4. **Disclose**
   - For critical/high findings: coordinate disclosure timeline with auditor
   - Publish security advisory after fix is available
   - Credit the auditor in release notes

### Communication Guidelines

- **During engagement**: Weekly sync calls, daily async updates in shared channel
- **For critical findings**: Immediate notification (within 4 hours of discovery)
- **For high findings**: Notification within 24 hours
- **Public disclosure**: Coordinate with auditor on timeline (typically 90 days from report)

## Auditor Selection Criteria

When selecting an external security auditor, prioritize:

1. **Cryptography expertise**: Experience with age, Argon2id, X25519, or similar modern crypto
2. **Go language proficiency**: Deep understanding of Go memory management, goroutine safety, and standard library
3. **MCP/AI security experience**: Understanding of LLM-specific attack vectors (prompt injection, tool poisoning)
4. **Vault/security tool experience**: Prior work on password managers, key management systems, or HSMs
5. **Reputation**: Published research, conference presentations, or prior open-source security contributions

## Budget Planning

Typical costs for a comprehensive security audit:

| Audit Type | Duration | Estimated Cost (USD) |
|-----------|----------|---------------------|
| Code Security Audit | 2-4 weeks | $15,000 - $40,000 |
| Penetration Test | 1-2 weeks | $10,000 - $25,000 |
| Architecture Review | 1 week | $5,000 - $15,000 |
| Full Package (all three) | 4-6 weeks | $25,000 - $60,000 |

## Post-Audit Activities

1. **Update security roadmap** based on findings
2. **Improve test coverage** for discovered vulnerability classes
3. **Update threat model** with new attack vectors
4. **Schedule follow-up audit** (recommended annually)
5. **Publish transparency report** summarizing findings and remediation (without exploit details)

## Security Audit History

| Date | Auditor | Type | Findings | Status |
|------|---------|------|----------|--------|
| TBD | TBD | TBD | TBD | Planned |

## Related Documents

- [SECURITY.md](/SECURITY.md) - Security policy and vulnerability reporting
- [ARCHITECTURE.md](/ARCHITECTURE.md) - System architecture
- [docs/adr/](/docs/adr/) - Architecture Decision Records
- [docs/observability.md](/docs/observability.md) - Monitoring and logging
