Introduction 7
has an idea that might produce a hole and asks for comment on the potential
feasibility. The next step in the discovery phase is where a “proof of concept”
script is written. At this stage, the script is only created to answer the question
posted to the newsgroup or Web site. Very few people are making use of the
newfound vulnerability. The only people who would know of the new
vulnerability’s existence would be friends of the person who submitted the
idea or regular readers of the Web site where it was initially posted. If the
script that was written to answer the original question is successful, the next
phase begins.
Vulnerability Announced
The second phase, ”Vulnerability Announced,” is where Web sites that spe-
cialize in announcing ...