In vulnerability management, CVEs are more than just identifiers. They are essential building blocks that enable automation, facilitate coordinated response, and provide a common reference point for security teams, tools, and frameworks across the globe.
This blog dives deep into what Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures are, how the system works, and why they are indispensable in the vulnerability management lifecycle.
What are Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs)?
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures is a standardized list of publicly disclosed cybersecurity vulnerabilities. Each vulnerability is assigned a unique identifier, known as a CVE ID, which acts as a universal reference. This makes it easier for organizations, researchers, and security products to track, discuss, and respond to specific threats in a consistent manner.
CVE entries are intentionally brief. Each record includes:
- A unique ID (e.g., CVE-2025-31650)
- A concise description of the vulnerability
- References to more detailed reports, advisories, or vendor documentation
The goal of CVE is not to provide exhaustive technical analysis but to ensure every known vulnerability can be identified and discussed unambiguously. This level of standardization plays a critical role in threat response, patch management, and compliance efforts across all industries.
Why CVEs Matter in Vulnerability Management
Vulnerability management is an ongoing process of finding, evaluating, ranking, and fixing security flaws. CVEs play a central role in each of these stages.
Without a standardized identification system, coordinating vulnerability response across large environments, especially those using multiple tools and technologies, would be prone to confusion and delays. CVEs allow different systems (vulnerability scanners, patch management tools, SIEMs, etc.) to speak the same language.
Here is how CVEs strengthen the vulnerability management lifecycle:
- Identification – Security tools scan for CVEs in systems and applications.
- Assessment – CVE entries link to scoring systems that evaluate the severity and exploitability.
- Prioritization – CVEs help security teams triage, which flaws to address first based on business impact.
- Remediation and Tracking – CVEs act as traceable references when deploying patches or mitigations.
- Reporting – CVE IDs are often required for compliance audits, security reports, and documentation.
Simply put, CVEs create a foundation that supports the entire vulnerability management workflow, from detection to resolution.
Who Assigns CVEs and How?
CVEs are assigned by trusted organizations known as CVE Numbering Authorities (CNAs). These CNAs operate under the CVE Program, which is governed by a central entity that sets standards and guidelines. A CNA can be a security vendor, a software developer, a research organization, or any qualified entity authorized to issue CVE IDs.
The process works as follows:
- A security vulnerability is discovered by a researcher, vendor, or even a user.
- The flaw is reported to a CNA, which validates the issue.
- If it qualifies, the CNA assigns a CVE ID and submits it for publication.
- Once approved, the vulnerability is listed publicly, along with its ID and basic details.
In many cases, the CVE is assigned before public disclosure. This allows the vendor to prepare a patch or mitigation strategy before attackers become aware of the flaw
Each CVE ID is globally unique and follows a consistent format, such as CVE-2025-31650, which includes the year and a sequential number. This ID becomes the permanent reference for that vulnerability in all databases, advisories, and tools.
What Qualifies a Vulnerability for a CVE ID?
Not all vulnerabilities are eligible to receive a CVE. For a vulnerability to be listed in the CVE system, it must meet specific criteria. These rules ensure that each CVE represents a clearly defined, independently fixable security concern.
The main qualification criteria include:
- Public Disclosure or Documentation: The vulnerability must be known outside of the discovering party. It could be disclosed by the vendor, a researcher, or via third-party advisories.
- Security Impact: The flaw must have the potential to impact the confidentiality, integrity, or availability of a system or data. If the issue has no demonstrable security implications, it may not be accepted as a CVE.
- Independent Fixability: The issue must be fixable without requiring simultaneous remediation of unrelated flaws.
- Scope of Impact: If the vulnerability affects multiple products, each may receive its own CVE, unless they all share the same vulnerable codebase (e.g., a shared library or protocol).
This strict qualification process helps ensure that every CVE entry reflects a meaningful and actionable security threat.
CVE vs. CVSS: Understanding the Severity
While CVE IDs help you identify a vulnerability, they do not tell you how severe it is. That is where the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) comes in.
CVSS provides a numeric severity score ranging from 0.0 (no risk) to 10.0 (critical risk). This score is based on factors such as:
- Ease of exploitation
- Attack vector (local or remote)
- Required privileges
- Impact on system confidentiality, integrity, and availability
CVSS Score Ratings:
- None: 0.0
- Low: 0.1 – 3.9
- Medium: 4.0 – 6.9
- High: 7.0 – 8.9
- Critical: 9.0 – 10.0
CVEs are often paired with CVSS scores in databases like the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), making it easier for teams to assess which vulnerabilities pose the highest risk.
For example:
CVE-2025-31324 – Risk Analysis
Severity: CRITICAL
CVSSv3.1: Base Score: 9.8 CRITICAL
Vector:Â CVSS:3.1/AV:N/AC:L/PR:N/UI:N/S:U/C:H/I:H/A:H
Exploit available in public: Yes
Exploit complexity: Low
Learn more about this critical vulnerability and its potential impact. CVE-2025-31324
CVE vs. CWE: Categorizing the Root Cause
While CVE tracks individual vulnerabilities, CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) is a system that categorizes the underlying software weaknesses that lead to those vulnerabilities.
Think of it this way:
- CVE tells you what the vulnerability is.
- CWE explains why the vulnerability happened.
For instance, multiple CVEs may stem from the same CWE category, such as buffer overflows, injection flaws, or broken access controls. This classification allows developers and security teams to identify recurring coding issues and implement secure design principles to prevent future vulnerabilities.
Limitations and Challenges of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures System
Despite its importance, the CVE system has a few limitations that organizations must be aware of:
1. Limited Detail
CVE entries are concise by design. They provide only basic information and require teams to consult additional sources (like NVD or vendor advisories) for technical details, remediation steps, and exploit availability.
2. Not All Vulnerabilities Are CVEs
Configuration errors, weak credentials, and policy misalignments often fall outside the scope of CVE. These exposures can be equally dangerous but may not receive a CVE ID, meaning they require separate tracking and prioritization.
3. CVE Overload
With thousands of CVEs published every year, organizations can quickly become overwhelmed. Prioritization becomes a challenge without proper context about which CVEs apply to their specific environments.
4. Time Lag
There can be a delay between the discovery of a vulnerability and its inclusion in the CVE list, especially if vendors delay disclosure or patch release.
Because of these limitations, CVE-based management should be complemented with broader security strategies like continuous asset discovery, contextual risk scoring, and exposure management.
Once a vulnerability is identified, Indusface WAS allows you to instantly patch the open vulnerability through SwyftComply. This virtual patching capability ensures that applications remain protected without having to wait for official fixes, significantly reducing the window of exposure.
Staying Updated with Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures
Organizations should implement multiple methods to stay informed about new CVEs and related threats:
- Monitor the CVE List and the National Vulnerability Database
- Subscribe to CVE and NVD RSS feeds or vulnerability alerts
- Integrate automated scanners that continuously check your systems against known CVEs
- Map CVE data to internal asset inventories to determine actual exposure
More importantly, CVE tracking should be tied to active remediation plans, backed by clear ownership and prioritization workflows.
Platforms like Indusface WAS combine automated vulnerability scanning with real-time threat intelligence to detect known and emerging vulnerabilities. Backed by a dedicated managed security team, it ensures continuous monitoring, timely updates based on the latest CVE disclosures, and expert analysis to reduce false positives and accelerate remediation.
Do not Just Track, Act
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures tracking is a vital part of any strong vulnerability management program, but it is only the beginning. To stay ahead of evolving threats, organizations must go beyond static CVE databases and adopt proactive tools and strategies that offer real-time detection, contextual risk insights, and instant remediation.
Indusface WAS bridges these gaps by combining continuous scanning, real-time threat intelligence, and expert-led support, ensuring you’re not just aware of vulnerabilities, but ready to act on them.
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