Disputes, rebuttal and mediation
What happens when you disagree with a decision, from the 48-hour rebuttal to an independent mediator's ruling.
Disagreements are normal. What matters is that they end with a reasoned decision based on the locked rules, not with silence.
Closure proposals
A project can't close your report outright. It proposes an outcome and must support it:
| Outcome | What the project must provide |
|---|---|
| Out of scope | The exact locked exclusion or restriction ID (e.g. EXCL-3) and why it applies |
| Impact not demonstrated | The PoC requirement or impact it relies on, and the specific missing element |
| Duplicate | An earlier qualifying report, which the platform verifies |
| Known issue | A known-issue commitment recorded before your submission |
| Invalid | Why the behavior isn't a vulnerability |
| Spam | Evidence of bad faith. This is the only outcome with a reputation penalty |
The 48-hour final rebuttal
When a closure is proposed, you get 48 hours and one response, which can include new evidence. You can also accept the outcome. If the window passes, the proposed outcome becomes final.
Your rebuttal doesn't reopen the case automatically. The project must make a final decision:
- Reverse: the case returns to triage.
- Uphold: the decision stands, and mediation becomes available.
The same applies to severity: if a finding is accepted below the severity you requested, you get one severity rebuttal within 48 hours.
Independent mediation
If the project upholds its decision, you can request mediation within the program's window (usually 7 days). You write the question the mediator should answer, e.g. "Does liquidating a position that is healthy under the current collateral factor constitute direct theft of user funds under IMP-C1 of program v2?"
- The mediator is assigned automatically: the least-loaded mediator with no membership in the project's organization.
- They see the full locked case: rulebook version, original submission, evidence, both sides' reasoning and your rebuttal.
- Their decision is published to both parties with four parts: the question, the evidence considered, the finding and the applicable rule, followed by a verdict of uphold, overturn or modify.
- Mediators are paid a flat rate. Their compensation never depends on the outcome or on who pays more.
What counts as a good rebuttal
- Address the specific rule and reasoning the project cited.
- Add evidence that answers the objection, such as a new PoC run or on-chain balances.
- Keep it factual. The mediator reads it later.