The CVE program’s new rules: will they affect your vulnerability management?

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) Program, managed by the MITRE Corporation, catalogs publicly known cybersecurity vulnerabilities and has recently updated its rules with the release of CNA Rules v4.0, effective August 8, 2024. The updated rules aim to provide more flexibility and clarity in the CVE assignment process, emphasizing a technology-neutral approach and ensuring entities most familiar with a product have the primary role in assigning CVE IDs. Notable changes include a more adaptable definition of vulnerabilities, particularly regarding cloud security misconfigurations, and a shift towards conditional language to accommodate varying scenarios. This overhaul is expected to increase the number of recognized cybersecurity threats by allowing for a broader interpretation of what constitutes a vulnerability. However, the success of these changes depends on consistent enforcement, something that has been inconsistent historically. With predictions of a significant increase in CVE recognition, the program anticipates approving more submissions in the coming years, continuing the trend of recent growth in CVE approvals.