Bugtraq

Bugtraq was a full-disclosure mailing list dedicated to the discussion of computer security vulnerabilities. Founded in 1993 by Scott Chasin, it served as a primary platform for security professionals, researchers, and system administrators to publicly share information about security flaws and their potential impact.

The list's philosophy of full disclosure aimed to rapidly disseminate vulnerability information to allow for quicker patching and mitigation efforts. Subscribers included individuals and organizations involved in software development, security auditing, incident response, and vulnerability research.

While Bugtraq was influential in fostering a culture of open security information sharing, its full disclosure approach was also debated. Critics argued that publishing vulnerability details before patches were available could expose systems to exploitation.

Over time, the Bugtraq mailing list's relevance diminished due to the emergence of other vulnerability databases, vendor-specific security advisories, and alternative communication channels. SecurityFocus, which acquired Bugtraq, eventually phased out the original mailing list format. Information previously found on Bugtraq can often be found aggregated in other security databases.