Vulnerability Report Template

This template provides a structured format for documenting security vulnerabilities found during penetration testing, security assessments, or bug bounty programs. Use this for professional vulnerability disclosure and remediation tracking.

Report Information

Report ID: [VULN-YYYY-XXXX]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Reporter: [Your Name / Organization]
Target: [System / Application / Network]
Assessment Type: [Penetration Test / Vulnerability Scan / Bug Bounty / Security Review]
Classification: [Critical / High / Medium / Low / Informational]

Executive Summary

Vulnerability Title: [Clear, descriptive title]
CVSS Score: [X.X] ([Critical/High/Medium/Low])
Impact: [Brief description of potential impact]
Affected Systems: [List of affected systems/components]
Discovery Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Status: [Open / In Progress / Resolved / False Positive]

Vulnerability Details

Description

[Detailed description of the vulnerability, including what was found and how it was discovered]

Technical Details

  • Vulnerability Type: [SQL Injection / XSS / Authentication Bypass / etc.]
  • Affected Component: [Specific system, application, or service]
  • Attack Vector: [How the vulnerability can be exploited]
  • Authentication Required: [Yes/No - if authentication is needed to exploit]
  • User Interaction Required: [Yes/No - if user interaction is needed]

Proof of Concept 

[Include code snippets, screenshots, or step-by-step reproduction steps]
[Use code blocks for commands, URLs, or payloads]

Screenshots/Evidence

[Include relevant screenshots, logs, or other evidence]

  • Screenshot 1: [Description]
  • Screenshot 2: [Description]
  • Log Entry: [Relevant log entries]

Impact Assessment

Business Impact

  • Confidentiality: [Impact on data confidentiality - High/Medium/Low]
  • Integrity: [Impact on data integrity - High/Medium/Low]
  • Availability: [Impact on system availability - High/Medium/Low]

Potential Consequences

  • [Consequence 1]
  • [Consequence 2]
  • [Consequence 3]

Affected Data/Systems

Risk Assessment

Likelihood

  • Exploitability: [Easy/Moderate/Difficult]
  • Detection: [Easy/Moderate/Difficult]
  • Overall Likelihood: [High/Medium/Low]

Impact Severity

  • Financial Impact: [Estimated financial impact]
  • Reputation Impact: [Potential reputation damage]
  • Compliance Impact: [Regulatory or compliance implications]

Risk Rating

Overall Risk: [Critical/High/Medium/Low]
Justification: [Brief explanation of risk rating]

Remediation

Immediate Actions

  • [Action 1] - [Priority: High/Medium/Low]
  • [Action 2] - [Priority: High/Medium/Low]
  • [Action 3] - [Priority: High/Medium/Low]
  1. [Fix 1]
    • Description: [What needs to be done]
    • Implementation: [How to implement the fix]
    • Timeline: [When this should be completed]
  2. [Fix 2]
    • Description: [What needs to be done]
    • Implementation: [How to implement the fix]
    • Timeline: [When this should be completed]

Long-term Recommendations

  • [Recommendation 1]
  • [Recommendation 2]
  • [Recommendation 3]

Testing & Validation

Verification Steps

  1. [Step 1 to verify the vulnerability]
  2. [Step 2 to verify the vulnerability]
  3. [Step 3 to verify the vulnerability]

False Positive Analysis

[If applicable, explain why this is not a false positive]

Additional Testing

[Any additional tests that should be performed]

References

  • [CVE-XXXX-XXXX] - [Description]
  • [CWE-XXX] - [Description]
  • [OWASP Top 10] - [Relevant category]

External Resources

  • [Link 1] - [Description]
  • [Link 2] - [Description]
  • [Link 3] - [Description]

Internal References

  • [Internal document 1]
  • [Internal document 2]
  • [Previous assessment report]

Timeline

Date Action Responsible Party Status
[YYYY-MM-DD] Vulnerability discovered [Name] Complete
[YYYY-MM-DD] Report submitted [Name] Complete
[YYYY-MM-DD] Acknowledgment received [Name] Pending
[YYYY-MM-DD] Fix implemented [Name] Pending
[YYYY-MM-DD] Verification testing [Name] Pending
[YYYY-MM-DD] Report closed [Name] Pending

Communication

Stakeholders Notified

  • [Name] - [Role] - [Date]
  • [Name] - [Role] - [Date]
  • [Name] - [Role] - [Date]

External Disclosure

  • Planned Disclosure Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
  • Disclosure Method: [Public / Coordinated / Private]
  • Responsible Disclosure: [Yes/No]

Appendices

A. Technical Details

[Additional technical information, code samples, or detailed analysis]

B. Screenshots

[Full-size screenshots and evidence]

C. Log Files

[Relevant log entries and system outputs]

D. Network Diagrams

[Network topology or system architecture diagrams]

Report Metadata

Report Version: [1.0]
Last Updated: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Next Review Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]
Report Classification: [Internal / Confidential / Public]
Distribution List: [List of authorized recipients]

Report Prepared By: [Your Name]
Title: [Your Title]
Organization: [Your Organization]
Contact: [Your Contact Information]
Date: [YYYY-MM-DD]