What it is
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) is a standardized naming system that assigns unique identifiers—such as CVE-2021-34527—to publicly disclosed software and hardware vulnerabilities. CVE entries typically include a short description, affected products, references to vendor advisories, and links to severity scores (for example, CVSS). Security tools, vulnerability scanners, and threat intelligence feeds rely on CVE IDs to correlate evidence and track remediation status across heterogeneous environments.
CVE data powers modern vulnerability management programs: scanners compare asset inventories to CVE lists to surface missing patches; incident responders map alerts to CVE IDs to evaluate impact; and security teams use CVE-based dashboards to prioritize fixes.
Why it matters
Using CVE identifiers creates a common language between vendors, defenders, and tooling. Without CVE mapping, tracking exposures across a large estate becomes error-prone. Public disclosure also raises the stakes—once a CVE is published and exploit code circulated, unpatched systems quickly become high-value targets.
How to reduce risk
- Subscribe to vendor advisories and official CVE feeds; integrate them into patch workflows.
- Prioritize remediation based on risk (asset criticality, exposure, exploit availability, CVSS).
- Run automated scans to discover unpatched CVEs in your environment.
- Maintain accurate asset inventories to map CVE coverage against real systems.
- Apply mitigations or compensating controls immediately for high-risk CVEs.