CWEs and CVEs have similarities and differences. Understanding both can help you keep your organization secure.

Staying ahead of vulnerabilities is critical for any cybersecurity pro tasked with protecting an organization’s assets and data in a constantly shifting threat landscape. The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system and the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) are essential weapons in this ongoing battle. Although often used together, CVE and CVSS serve distinct purposes. Understanding CVE vs CVSS can enhance your cybersecurity strategy, enabling better prioritization, faster remediation, and stronger defenses. 

What is a CVE? 

CVE, or Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, is a cataloging system created by MITRE to provide standardized names for publicly known vulnerabilities and exposures. Each CVE entry has a unique identifier, making it easy for security teams and technology vendors to reference and communicate about specific vulnerabilities across different systems and tools. 

How CVEs Work: An Example 

Consider the high-profile case of CVE-2021-44228, also known as Log4Shell. Ranked by many as the “top exploited vulnerability of 2021,” this vulnerability, identified in Apache’s Log4j 2 logging library, allowed attackers to perform remote code execution by simply sending a specially crafted string to a vulnerable system. The CVE identifier allowed organizations, vendors, and security teams to quickly reference the vulnerability across different systems and security tools. “Hundreds of millions of devices were likely affected,” wrote a reporter for Wired in an article titled The Log4J Vulnerability will Haunt the Internet for Years but, because CVE-2021-44228 was cataloged in the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), teams in the know could easily locate its details, understand its potential impact, and monitor for any security patches. 

Why CVEs Matter 

The CVE system serves as a universal language for vulnerability management, enabling security teams to quickly identify and respond to vulnerabilities that may be present in their environment. By regularly scanning and referencing CVE databases, security professionals can stay up-to-date on newly discovered vulnerabilities and take proactive steps to protect their systems. 

What is CVSS? 

CVSS, or Common Vulnerability Scoring System, is a framework developed to measure the severity of a vulnerability based on its potential impact. Note a critical CVE vs CVSS difference: unlike CVEs, which act as identifiers, CVSS provides a score, usually on a scale from 0.0 to 10.0, that quantifies the risk level associated with a particular vulnerability and is widely used for vulnerability prioritization. 

How CVSS Works: Breaking Down the Scoring System 

CVSS scores are calculated based on three main metric groups, each contributing to a comprehensive assessment of the vulnerability’s potential impact: 

• Base Score: Evaluates the intrinsic characteristics of the vulnerability, such as exploitability and impact, without regard to external factors. 

• Temporal Score: Adjusts the score to account for factors that may change over time, like available patches, known exploits, or fixes. 

• Environmental Score: Customizes the score based on the specific environment where the vulnerability exists, considering factors like the criticality of impacted assets. 

Why CVSS Matters 

CVSS scoring helps organizations make informed decisions about vulnerability management by enabling them to prioritize remediation efforts according to the risk associated with each vulnerability. For instance, a vulnerability with a CVSS score of 9.0 should be remediated more urgently than one with a score of 4.0. Security leaders can use CVSS scores to allocate resources, balancing patching efforts with operational priorities. 

In many cases, CVSS scoring is integrated into security tools and vulnerability management platforms. This allows automated prioritization of vulnerabilities within the specific context of each environment, providing valuable insights for organizations with limited resources or complex infrastructures. 

Let’s go back to the Log4Shell example. At the time, Ars Technica called it, “Arguably the worst severity ever.” The vulnerability initially received a CVSS score of 10.0, the highest possible rating, because of its ease of exploit and the severe potential impact (remote code execution). The CVSS score helped security teams worldwide recognize that this vulnerability posed a significant risk. They prioritized patching, mitigation, and ransomware protection strategies accordingly. 

CVE vs CVSS: Key Differences 

While CVE and CVSS are frequently mentioned together, they perform distinctly different roles in the cybersecurity ecosystem: 

• CVE is a catalog system for identifying and naming vulnerabilities. 

• CVSS is a scoring system that assesses the risk associated with each vulnerability. 

To illustrate, think of CVE as a library catalog that lists every book (or vulnerability) with a unique identifier. Meanwhile, CVSS is like the rating or score for each book, indicating its importance or urgency in terms of security impact. Together, they create a comprehensive approach to vulnerability management, helping teams identify known vulnerabilities (via CVE) and understand the severity or risk (via CVSS). 

How Security Leaders Can Use CVE and CVSS to Protect Their Organizations 

For cybersecurity professionals, understanding and leveraging CVE vs CVSS is essential to an effective vulnerability management strategy. Here’s how security leaders can integrate these tools to enhance their organization’s defenses: 

• Use CVEs to Stay Informed: Regularly monitor CVE databases, such as the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), to stay updated on newly identified vulnerabilities. This allows security teams to be proactive, identifying potential risks early and planning mitigation strategies before attackers can exploit them. For example, when high-impact CVEs are issued, security teams can review their assets to identify which systems are affected, allowing for immediate corrective action. 
• Use CVSS Scores to Prioritize Remediation: Utilize CVSS scores to guide the prioritization and patching process. High-severity vulnerabilities, typically those scoring 7.0 or above, should be addressed as soon as possible, particularly on critical systems. For example, vulnerabilities with a CVSS score over 9.0 in critical infrastructure or public-facing systems can prompt immediate remediation, while lower-scoring vulnerabilities can be scheduled based on resources and risk tolerance. 
• Integrate CVE and CVSS into Vulnerability Management Tools: Consider using a vulnerability management platform that incorporates CVE and CVSS feeds. These tools automatically update the latest vulnerability information and can prioritize vulnerabilities by CVSS score in real time, enabling organizations to allocate resources effectively. For example, security teams using tools with CVSS integration can automate patch scheduling based on CVSS scores, ensuring that the most critical vulnerabilities are always prioritized. 
• Align CVSS Scores with Your Organization’s Risk Tolerance: Tailor CVSS scoring using the Environmental metric to reflect your unique organizational needs. For example, a vulnerability that impacts customer-facing applications may require a higher priority, while one affecting low-risk systems might be deprioritized. By customizing CVSS scoring based on the organization’s specific environment, security teams can focus on vulnerabilities that pose the greatest risk to their operations. 
• Implement Best Practices: Conduct regular vulnerability assessments and audits to identify potential threats and exposures. Establish a patch management protocol that uses both CVE and CVSS information to assign remediation timelines based on risk, ensuring that high-priority vulnerabilities are consistently addressed. Add lateral movement protection to limit system access. 

CVE and CVSS: Essential Tools for Cybersecurity Strategy 

CVE and CVSS are indispensable for efficient vulnerability management. It’s essential to understand CVE vs CVSS is essential. Together, they enable organizations to identify vulnerabilities, assess their severity, and act quickly to protect critical assets. By adopting a structured approach that incorporates CVE identification and CVSS scoring, security leaders can create a balanced, risk-based strategy to reduce their organization’s attack surface. 

Reduce your organization’s attack surface, fortify defenses, and stay ahead of advanced cyber threats. Schedule a demo to see how TrueFort can elevate your cybersecurity posture today. 

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*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from TrueFort authored by Security Insights Team. Read the original post at: https://truefort.com/understand-cve-vs-cvss-for-improved-cybersecurity/