This document outlines the security policy for the Solar Heating System project, including how to report vulnerabilities and our commitment to security.

We provide security updates for the following versions:

If you discover a critical security vulnerability that could:

• Compromise the heating system safety
• Allow unauthorized access to the system
• Cause physical damage or safety hazards
• Expose sensitive data

Please report it immediately using one of these methods:

• Email: [Your security email]
• GitHub Security Advisories: Use the "Report a vulnerability" button on the repository
• Direct Message: Contact the maintainers privately

When reporting a vulnerability, please include:

1. Description of the vulnerability
2. Steps to reproduce the issue
3. Potential impact on the system
4. Suggested fix (if you have one)
5. Your contact information for follow-up

• Critical vulnerabilities: 24-48 hours
• High severity: 3-5 business days
• Medium/Low severity: 1-2 weeks

• Never commit secrets (API keys, passwords, tokens)
• Use environment variables for sensitive configuration
• Keep dependencies updated regularly
• Review code before merging
• Test security changes thoroughly

• Keep the system updated with latest versions
• Use strong passwords for system access
• Monitor system logs for unusual activity
• Report suspicious behavior immediately

• Dependabot for automated dependency updates
• Code scanning for vulnerability detection
• Branch protection rules for code quality
• Environment variable management
• Secure MQTT communication (when configured)

• Automated security scanning in CI/CD
• Security audit workflows
• Dependency vulnerability monitoring
• Code quality gates

• GitHub Security Best Practices
• Python Security Guidelines
• IoT Security Guidelines

• Safety: Python dependency vulnerability scanner
• Bandit: Python security linter
• GitGuardian: Secret detection
• Snyk: Vulnerability scanning

We follow responsible disclosure practices:

1. Report privately to maintainers first
2. Allow reasonable time for fixes (typically 90 days)
3. Coordinate disclosure with maintainers
4. Credit researchers appropriately
5. Document fixes in security advisories

• Security Team: [Your security contact]
• Project Maintainer: [Your contact]
• Emergency Contact: [Emergency contact for critical issues]

Last Updated: October 2024
Next Review: January 2025

Note: This security policy is especially important for IoT and heating systems where security vulnerabilities could have physical safety implications.