A Better Playing Field

IndependentDisclosure establishes a unique environment for security research and vulnerability disclosure. By removing unnecessary constraints while upholding accountability, it enables more effective security research that benefit the entire ecosystem.

Freedom with Responsibility

This system empowers researchers with greater flexibility while ensuring responsible engagement:

  • Broad Scope: All assets are in scope, researchers can investigate without restrictions.
  • Flexible Timelines: Work progresses at the researcher’s pace.
  • Direct Interaction: No platform-imposed terms or middlemen, engage directly with protocols.
  • Built-in Accountability: Evidence and transparency ensure fair and honest participation.

This freedom doesn’t compromise responsibility. Instead, transparency promotes good faith participation while preserving leverage for all parties involved.

Leveling the Playing Field

Currently, most researchers only examine the limited scopes set by protocols on defined contest and bounty platforms.

Meanwhile, malicious actors:

  • Investigate everything without limitations.
  • Face no rules or restrictions.

IndependentDisclosure levels this playing field. It allows ethical researchers to operate with the same freedom as their black-hat counterparts, while maintaining transparency and ethical standards through structured processes.

Cooperation as a Winning Strategy

The system creates conditions where cooperation becomes the most practical approach for both parties:

  • Both Parties Honest → Quick resolutions, mutual benefit.
  • One Party Dishonest → Verifiable evidence exposes misconduct.
  • Both Parties Dishonest → Process breaks down, and both lose.

This isn’t about blind trust—it’s about designing a system where honest cooperation is the most beneficial and efficient path for all participants.

Beyond Platforms

The key innovation isn't decentralization—it's removing the need for trusted intermediaries while maintaining accountability through transparency. The smart contract's role is more about timestamping and state tracking than replacing traditional platforms.

The result is a more efficient environment for security research that naturally favors honest behavior and fair settlements, benefiting both researchers and protocols through clearer accountability and better incentive alignment.