Cloudflare launches free Security.txt generator to boost website security

On October 6, 2024, Cloudflare announced the launch of a free security.txt generator, aimed at enhancing website security and streamlining vulnerability disclosure processes. This new feature, integrated directly into the Cloudflare dashboard, allows users to easily create and manage their security.txt files, a standard mechanism for organizations to communicate security policies to researchers.

Security.txt is a proposed standard that defines a common location and format for websites to provide security policy information. According to the security.txt website, the main purpose of this standard is to help "make things easier for companies and security researchers when trying to secure platforms." By implementing a security.txt file, organizations can provide a standardized way for security researchers to report vulnerabilities they discover.

The initiative has gained significant traction, with major companies like Google, Facebook, and GitHub already implementing security.txt files. Additionally, government entities such as the UK government, the US Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), and the Australian Cyber Security Centre endorse the use of security.txt files.

Cloudflare's Implementation

Cloudflare's security.txt generator is designed to address several key challenges in managing security information:

1. Automation: The tool minimizes human involvement in the deployment process.
2. Ease of maintenance: Necessary changes can be implemented with a single commit and deploy.
3. Version control: The inherently sensitive nature of security.txt files necessitates careful tracking of all changes for auditing purposes.

The generator leverages Cloudflare Workers, the company's serverless platform, to achieve these goals. This approach allows for rapid deployment and updates without the need to manage traditional server infrastructure.

Technical details

Cloudflare's implementation includes several noteworthy features:

1. Dynamic content generation: The security.txt file is created from a template at build time, allowing for dynamic operations such as automatically setting expiration dates.
2. PGP key integration: The system ensures that the deployed security.txt file is clearsigned with the security@cloudflare.com PGP key.
3. Multi-route support: A single Worker can serve both the security.txt file and the associated PGP public key on different routes.

Cloudflare has open-sourced the Worker code on GitHub, allowing other organizations to easily implement similar functionality on their own Cloudflare zones.

Industry impact

The launch of this free tool aligns with growing industry efforts to standardize and simplify security practices. According to Alexandra Moraru, a representative from Cloudflare, "By offering an automated security.txt generator for free, we aim to empower all of our users to enhance their security measures without additional costs."

The security.txt standard, while not a complete solution to vulnerability disclosure challenges, is becoming a common best practice among security-conscious companies. As adoption increases, it's expected that more security researchers will rely on security.txt for information gathering when attempting to disclose vulnerabilities.

How to implement

Users can access the security.txt generator through the Cloudflare dashboard by following these steps:

1. Log in to the Cloudflare dashboard and select the desired account and domain.
2. Navigate to Security > Settings > Enable Security.txt.
3. Fill in the required information, including contact details and expiration date.
4. Optional fields include encryption keys, acknowledgments page links, and preferred languages.
5. Save the configuration to generate and deploy the security.txt file.

The broader context

This initiative is part of Cloudflare's ongoing efforts to enhance web security. The company's security team has been actively building on its Workers platform to develop and deploy various security services. According to David Haynes, a member of Cloudflare's security team, "We get a lot of value out of using Cloudflare to secure Cloudflare. Not only does this allow us to test the security of our products; it provides us an avenue of direct feedback to help improve the roadmaps for engineering projects."

Looking ahead

As the internet continues to evolve, standardized security practices like security.txt are likely to become increasingly important. Cloudflare's free generator represents a step towards making these practices more accessible to a wider range of website owners and administrators.

The company has indicated plans to share more stories about security services built on Workers in the future, potentially open-sourcing additional tools to help others achieve similar security improvements.

Key Facts

• Cloudflare launched a free security.txt generator on October 6, 2024.
• The tool is integrated into the Cloudflare dashboard for easy access and management.
• Security.txt is a proposed standard for websites to communicate security policies.
• Major companies and government entities endorse the use of security.txt files.
• The generator uses Cloudflare Workers for deployment and management.
• Cloudflare has open-sourced the Worker code on GitHub.
• The security.txt file includes dynamically generated content, such as expiration dates.
• Implementation involves logging into the Cloudflare dashboard and enabling the security.txt feature.
• This initiative is part of Cloudflare's broader efforts to enhance web security using its own products.