What Is a CVE (Common Vulnerability and Exposure)?

A CVE, or Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, is a standardized identifier assigned to a known security vulnerability in software, including open source software. The CVE system is maintained by the MITRE Corporation and provides a way to uniquely identify and track vulnerabilities across different information security databases and tools. The system provides a method for publicly sharing information on cybersecurity vulnerabilities and exposures.

Understanding CVEs

CVEs serve as a standardized way to reference and track security vulnerabilities across the cybersecurity community. Each CVE has a unique identifier that follows the format CVE-YYYY-NNNNN, where:

YYYY is the year the vulnerability was discovered
NNNNN is a sequential number assigned by the CVE system

How CVEs Work

Discovery: Security researchers, vendors, or users discover a vulnerability
Reporting: The vulnerability is reported to the CVE system
Assignment: A unique CVE identifier is assigned
Publication: The CVE is published with details about the vulnerability
Tracking: Security tools and databases can reference the CVE for tracking and remediation

Benefits of the CVE System

Standardization: Provides a common language for discussing vulnerabilities
Tracking: Enables organizations to track vulnerabilities across their systems
Automation: Allows security tools to automatically reference and process vulnerability information
Collaboration: Facilitates information sharing across the cybersecurity community

What Are the Benefits of CVEs? - Understanding the value of CVE tracking
What Is CVSS? - Common Vulnerability Scoring System
What Is the Difference Between CVE and CVSS? - Understanding the relationship between CVEs and CVSS
Cybersecurity Vulnerability Management - Best practices for managing vulnerabilities
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