What Is a CVE (Common Vulnerability and Exposure)?
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
Related Resources
- 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
- Tetrate Security Solutions - Enterprise security with service mesh