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Update language in security review SOPs to establish timelines and expectations
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Description

Currently, the general reference is "30 days notice" but this is really 30 days to get a review done from top to bottom. That is probably aggressive as this backlog grows.

We already set an expectation here:

Typically, WMF teams or MediaWiki developers embarking on a new project should plan to have 2 or 3 check-ins with the Security Team.

But this seems to not be grabbing attention and we are seeing reviews (even significantly sized ones) surface for the first time 30 days or less from expected launch.

Differentiation between expected timeline for first engagement with the Security Team and expected timeline for review work is needed.

https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Security/SOP/Security_Readiness_Reviews
https://www.mediawiki.org/wiki/Security/SOP/Security_Concept_Reviews

We also have T242791: Implement an 'Estimated Start Date' field in Phab in the works to help with communicating flow through our process with task attributes but the expectations themselves have to first be represented in the SOP.


Possibly also address the use of the new Est Start Date field from T242791?

Event Timeline

chasemp created this task.

Will review with @JBennett and AppSec team and plan on updating before 1/27/20

We've determined that the expectation of "30 days" as a timeframe will only apply once the team has received everything needed to move forward and as long as nothing occurs to hamper / restart our review process. This could include changes to code, which would restart the 30 day timer. I'll look at precise phrasing of this for Readiness reviews, and it will not apply to Concept reviews.

Language updated and will continue to monitor and adjust.