SECURITY_EVOLUTION.md

Security Policy

Supported Versions

Currently supported versions of Hermes Evolution will receive security updates:

Version	Supported	Security Updates
0.1.x	✅ Yes	Until 0.2.0 release
< 0.1.0	❌ No	N/A

Reporting a Vulnerability

🔒 Private Disclosure

If you discover a security vulnerability, please do NOT create a public issue.

Instead, please:

1. Send a private email: [security contact if applicable]
2. Create a private security advisory: Use GitHub's "Report a vulnerability" feature
   • Click "Security" → "Report a vulnerability"
   • Provide detailed description
   • Include steps to reproduce if applicable

What to Include

When reporting a vulnerability, please include:

• Description: What the vulnerability is
• Impact: Potential impact on users/systems
• Reproduction: Steps to reproduce (if applicable)
• Environment: Version, OS, Python version
• Proof of Concept: If applicable, a safe demonstration
• Mitigation: Suggested mitigation (if known)

Response Timeline

We aim to respond to security reports within:

• 48 hours: Initial response acknowledging receipt
• 7 days: Assessment of severity and proposed timeline
• 30 days: Patch release (for critical/high severity)

Severity Levels

• Critical: Immediate risk, requires urgent patch
• High: Significant risk, expedited patch
• Medium: Moderate risk, next release
• Low: Minor risk, backlog for consideration

Evolution-Specific Security

Mode-Related Security

Hermes Evolution has two modes with different security considerations:

PUBLIC Mode (Lower Risk)

• Can read and create issues/PRs
• Cannot modify code directly
• Cannot merge changes
• Risk: Abuse of issue creation, spam
• Mitigation: Rate limiting, content filtering

PRIVATE Mode (Higher Risk)

• Can implement and merge changes
• Can self-update
• Can modify repository
• Risk: Unauthorized modifications, malicious updates
• Mitigation:
  • Requires private token
  • Extensive validation
  • Human oversight for critical changes
  • Rollback capabilities

Self-Update Security

Self-update capabilities introduce specific security concerns:

Protections in Place

1. Token Security: Private tokens stored securely
2. Validation: All changes validated before implementation
3. Testing: Tests must pass before merge
4. Rollback: Automatic rollback on failure
5. Human Review: Critical changes require human review

User Responsibilities

• Secure tokens: Keep GITHUB_PRIVATE_TOKEN secure
• Monitor changes: Review automated changes
• Report issues: Report unexpected behavior immediately
• Backup: Maintain backups before enabling evolution

Upstream Sync Security

When syncing with upstream Hermes Agent:

1. Verify source: Confirm changes come from official upstream
2. Review changes: Manual review of upstream changes
3. Test thoroughly: Extensive testing after sync
4. Document: Document all upstream changes

Security Best Practices

For Users

1. Token Management:

   • Use separate tokens for PUBLIC and PRIVATE modes
   • Rotate tokens regularly
   • Use minimal required scopes
   • Never commit tokens to repositories

2. Evolution Mode:

   • Only enable PRIVATE mode if you're the repository owner
   • Monitor evolution logs regularly
   • Review automated changes before they're merged
   • Keep backups

3. Updates:

   • Review changelogs
   • Test updates in non-production environments first
   • Rollback plan before updating

For Contributors

1. Code Security:

   • Follow secure coding practices
   • Validate all inputs
   • Sanitize data from external sources
   • Use secure dependencies

2. Evolution Features:

   • Document security implications
   • Include security considerations in PRs
   • Test for security vulnerabilities
   • Avoid introducing new attack vectors

Security Features

Built-In Protections

• Mode detection: Prevents unauthorized mode operations
• Input validation: All inputs validated
• Rate limiting: Prevents abuse of APIs
• Logging: Comprehensive logging for security monitoring
• Rollback: Automatic rollback on failures

Monitoring

• Evolution logs: Monitor for unusual activity
• GitHub audit logs: Review repository access
• Error tracking: Monitor for security-related errors

Dependency Security

Vulnerability Scanning

We regularly scan dependencies for vulnerabilities:

• Automated scans: GitHub Dependabot
• Manual reviews: Regular dependency reviews
• Updates: Prompt updates for vulnerable dependencies

Reporting Dependency Issues

If you discover a vulnerability in our dependencies:

1. Check if already reported to the dependency maintainer
2. Report to the dependency maintainer
3. Optionally notify us via private channel

Security Audits

Past Audits

[Placeholder for past security audits]

Requesting an Audit

For security researchers interested in auditing Hermes Evolution:

1. Contact us via private channel
2. Describe scope and timeline
3. Agree on disclosure timeline
4. Coordinate disclosure

Disclosure Policy

Coordinated Disclosure

We follow responsible disclosure:

1. Acknowledge: Confirm receipt of report
2. Assess: Determine severity and impact
3. Fix: Develop and test fixes
4. Release: Coordinate release with reporter
5. Credit: Credit reporter (if desired)

Public Disclosure

• Timing: After fix is available
• Credits: At reporter's discretion
• Details: Sufficient detail for users to assess risk

Security Contact

For security-related matters:

• GitHub Security: Use "Report a vulnerability"
• Email: [security email if applicable]
• PGP Key: [PGP key if applicable]

Security Updates

Subscribe to Updates

To receive security updates:

• Watch repository: Enable "Watch for releases"
• Security advisories: Enable notifications
• Dependabot: Enable Dependabot alerts

Update Process

When security updates are released:

1. Review advisory for impact
2. Assess if you're affected
3. Update to latest version
4. Monitor for issues

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Security is a community effort. Thank you for helping keep Hermes Evolution safe. 🔒