What is CVE in Cybersecurity? Here is a Comprehensive Guide
With 30,000 websites getting hacked every day, cybercrime is becoming a big concern for companies across the globe. According to Statista’s Cybersecurity Outlook report, the global cost of cybercrime will skyrocket in the next five years. It will surge from $8.44 trillion in 2022 to $23.84 trillion by 2027. Vulnerabilities to the system are the prime culprits. Moreover, vulnerabilities often offer opportunities for cybercriminals to take advantage of your systems. They steal pivotal information and cause damage to servers. Hence, to build a solid defense structure against cyber attacks, learning about Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures. These CVEs are imperative for cyber security professionals. So, what is CVE in cybersecurity? Read to understand more about this concept via examples. Find out why it is important for your company and how it works.
What is CVE in Cybersecurity?
CVE is an important resource list of known cybersecurity threats. It helps organizations manage any vulnerability to their IT infrastructure. CVE allows cybersecurity professionals to learn about any vulnerabilities that exist in the software they use. Moreover, this tool provides them with direction on how to resolve the problem in the software. The CVE database is maintained by MITRE Corporation.
MITRE Corporation is a non-profit organization in the U.S. It is funded by the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), part of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS).
The Purpose of CVE
The prime purpose of CVE is to keep cybersecurity experts up-to-date with any security risks that occur in the cybersecurity community. Moreover, it enables organizations to transform cybersecurity strategies. They do this by staying current on high-risk security flaws and issues.
CVE performs this activity by creating an identifier (called CVE names or CVE numbers) for an occurred vulnerability. These CVE identifiers help cybersecurity professionals with access to information related to particular cyber threats across various information sources using the same common name. Moreover, this allows them to fix information on any CVE-compatible exposure database.
How Does CVE Work?
Leading software vendors like Microsoft, Google, Adobe, and Red Hat frequently find vulnerabilities. They also spot exposures in their cyber systems. When a vulnerability is found, it is reported to a CVE Numbering Authority (CNA). CNAs are organizations that are permitted by the CVE Program to assign CVE IDs to security vulnerabilities that produce products that come under their scope.
Currently, there are a total number of 240 CNAs from 35 different nations taking part in the CVE Program. When a CNA learns of a vulnerability, it immediately generates a CVE Record. Moreover, they assign a CVE ID to the issue (previously known as CVE Entry). Moreover, CNAs have blocks of CVE IDs. They keep them on hand for marking newly found vulnerabilities. At this stage, the vulnerability is not yet made public. It undergoes further investigation, validation, and remediation. After this procedure, the CNA submits information regarding the vulnerability to the CVE Record portal.
This information will include the vulnerability type, impacted versions, impact and root cause. It also includes potential solutions such as patches and workarounds. Moreover, as soon as the required minimum data pieces are uploaded, the CVE Record will be made available to the general public for reading and downloading.
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How are CVEs Determined?
According to the CVE Program, an issue is regarded as a vulnerability if it violates the security policy that governs the product or service in concern. The reported vulnerability is not taken into consideration for addition to the CVE list until a CNA first receives a complaint. Any cybersecurity specialist can report a vulnerability to a CNA. They are responsible for examining a CVE request. If it determines that the vulnerability or exposure described in the request is not genuine, the CVE will not be considered. And, a CVE ID will not be given.
To determine CVEs, it is essential that the following criteria are fulfilled:
- Any CVE that has been given a CVE ID must be made available to the public
- The CVE-affected product or service must not be accessible to the public
- Collective customer or group action (any community of cybersecurity specialists worldwide) is necessary to address the CVE
How is the CVE List Used?
The MITRE Corporation, which compiles a list of common cybersecurity vulnerabilities, makes it available to the public. Any business can access or exchange information regarding the vulnerabilities on the CVE list to improve the effectiveness of its cybersecurity system.
A CVE Example
ProxyLogon (CVE-2021-26855)
A vulnerability called ProxyLogon affects Microsoft Exchange 2013, 2016, and 2019. It allows an attacker to impersonate a legitimate administrator by bypassing authentication. Moreover, the DEVCORE team (a team of information security experts who deal with hackers) discovered and disclosed this vulnerability in August 2021. However, this continued to be one of the most exploited issues in 2022.
Stay Updated with Emeritus
Now that you have the background to understand what is CVE in cybersecurity, you can gauge its importance in securing businesses against cyberthreats. It is critical for cybersecurity professionals of any organization to be aware of potential CVEs and be able to patch those vulnerabilities as promptly as possible. When cybersecurity specialists acquire access to comprehensive CVE lists and databases, it becomes much simpler for them to update their cybersecurity system and ultimately be ready to fix and neutralize any risks that may come their way.
If you want to expand your knowledge about CVE, along with everything else there is to know about cybersecurity, enroll in the online cybersecurity courses offered by Emeritus. They help you enhance your talent and equip you to handle all kinds of threats that may hamper system functionalities.
Frequently Asked Questions
Businesses should keep checking the latest version of the CVE list on a regular basis. Moreover, this is the most effective method for cybersecurity specialists to keep track of them and find any new ones.
What’s the Difference Between CVSS and CVE?
While the CVE gives a list of common vulnerabilities and exposures that have the potential to compromise the security of a company, the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) assigns scores to these vulnerabilities. Moreover, on a scale ranging from 0.0 to 10, the CVSS can be used as a resource for assessing common vulnerabilities according to the relative severity of the risks involved.
How Many CVEs are There?
As of January 30, 2023, the total number of CVE recorded is 1,95,536. However, it shifts around every year as CNAs add new vulnerabilities to their list.
Who Can Submit a CVE?
As long as the CVE meets with the CNA guidelines, it can be submitted by any organization. A cybersecurity specialist may be allowed to submit a CVE if they manage to find a new vulnerability in an organization’s IT system. Moreover, this can be done regardless of whether or not this vulnerability has been found in the past and if he has informed the organization about this problem.
The Best Way to Report CVE
A cybersecurity professional will need to request a CVE ID on the CVE Program website to report threats and vulnerabilities. Moreover, they will be requested to fill in relevant information about the CVE. If it is acknowledged by a CNA, they will be notified about it through email.
Do All Vulnerabilities Have a CVE?
No, not all vulnerabilities have their own listing in the CVE database. Moreover, there are some vulnerabilities that CNAs decide not to add to the list. They may not have satisfied the requirements necessary to be considered for inclusion on this list.
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