Glossary definition: Common Vulnerabilities And Exposures (CVE)

Understanding Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE)

Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) is a list of publicly known cyber security vulnerabilities and exposures. It is maintained by the non-profit organization, the MITRE Corporation, and is sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. CVE is a dictionary of standardized names for vulnerabilities and exposures that are used to reference publicly known security issues. It provides a reference to security vulnerabilities and exposures, which allows developers and security professionals to identify and share information about these issues. The list of vulnerabilities and exposures is constantly updated and includes detailed information about the severity of the issue, the affected software and hardware, and the type of attack. CVE also provides a reference to the associated Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) score, which is used to rank the severity of the vulnerability or exposure. This score is used to help prioritize security patches and other security measures. CVE is an important resource for security professionals and developers, as it helps them quickly identify and address security issues.