The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program has long served as the foundation for standardized vulnerability disclosure and management, enabling effective communication and remediation strategies across the industry.

As the cybersecurity community grapples with a potential lapse in the stewardship of the CVE program, organizations worldwide could face challenges in maintaining consistent vulnerability identification and tracking, especially in open-source software.

Cisco's Commitment to Transparent Vulnerability Disclosure

Cisco is committed to transparency and vulnerability disclosure practices that do not solely rely on the CVE program. Cisco's Product Security Incident Response Team (PSIRT) was created long before CVE was established and is one of the original CVE Numbering Authorities (CNAs).

Cisco's vulnerability management and disclosure ecosystem leverages a comprehensive array of threat intelligence feeds, including exploit databases, malware analyses, and telemetry data, to assess vulnerabilities beyond traditional CVE identifiers.

Ensuring Stability in the Future of Vulnerability Disclosure and Identification

The cybersecurity ecosystem depends on a stable, transparent, and open framework for vulnerability identification. This continued stability is not just a matter of process; it is foundational to global collaboration, trust, and response coordination.

Cisco acknowledges the critical role that the CVE program plays in the cybersecurity ecosystem and applauds CISA for helping extend the program.

Additionally, establishing the CVE Foundation marks important progress in making vulnerability management more resilient by removing a central dependency. It aims to keep the CVE Program a globally respected, community-led effort. Furthermore, it allows the global cybersecurity community to build a governance framework suited to the borderless nature of current cyber threats.

If the CVE program were to stop or significantly degrade, the impact on open-source software security would be profound. Without CVEs as a reference point:

• Security issues in open-source projects would become fragmented
• Vulnerabilities will be inconsistently reported and difficult to coordinate
• Delayed patching, reduced trust, and increased risk of exploitation

Developers, maintainers, and users would lose a critical mechanism for responsible disclosure and collective response, ultimately weakening the security posture of the entire open-source community.

Vendors, government, and open-source communities must remain dedicated to supporting the integrity and availability of critical cybersecurity resources like the CVE program.

The system is fundamental to the security of open-source software. CVEs enable clear communication and coordination among developers, security professionals, and organizations worldwide.

In the open-source ecosystem, where transparency and collaboration are key, CVEs serve as a standardized reference point. They enable responsible disclosure by providing a common language to describe vulnerabilities, ensuring that all stakeholders can understand and address security issues effectively.

Cisco remains dedicated to collaborating with industry partners, government, and stakeholders to support initiatives that uphold the integrity and availability of essential cybersecurity resources.

To learn more about Cisco's commitment to transparency, visit the Trust Center.

For direct access to all Cisco vulnerability disclosures, visit the Cisco Security Center.

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