gitlabOriginal articleGitLab Bug Bounty Program policy updates (opens in new tab)
GitLab has updated its HackerOne Bug Bounty program policies to improve transparency and streamline the reporting process for security researchers. These changes emphasize a shift toward local testing environments and provide much-needed clarity on the scope of emerging threats like AI prompt injection and denial-of-service attacks. By refining these guidelines, GitLab aims to protect its production infrastructure while ensuring researchers have clear, objective criteria for submitting high-impact vulnerabilities. ### Enhanced Testing Guidance * GitLab now strongly recommends using the GitLab Development Kit (GDK) for local testing, allowing researchers to experiment with cutting-edge features without risking production stability. * Researchers investigating potential Denial-of-Service (DoS) impacts are advised to use self-managed GitLab instances that meet or exceed standard installation requirements. * Any testing performed on GitLab.com production architecture must utilize test accounts created specifically with the `@wearehackerone.com` email alias. ### Refined Vulnerability Scope * Denial-of-Service (DoS) is generally classified as out of scope, though exceptions exist for application-layer vulnerabilities—such as ReDoS or logic bombs—that cause persistent service disruption via unauthenticated endpoints. * Standalone prompt injection is no longer eligible for bounties unless it serves as a primary vector to achieve security breaches beyond the initial AI boundary. * The policy clarifies the distinction between metadata enumeration and privacy breaches, noting that general information gathering remains out of scope while exposure of confidential data is strictly in scope. ### Transition and Grace Period * To support researchers with ongoing investigations, GitLab is honoring a seven-day grace period for DoS reports submitted before January 22, 2026 (9:00 p.m. PT). * Reports submitted during this window will be evaluated under the previous policy to ensure fairness and maintain trust within the researcher community. Security researchers should immediately update their testing workflows by downloading the GitLab Development Kit and reviewing the updated CVSS calculator on the HackerOne program page to ensure their findings align with the new severity standards.
