CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) — Glossary

The longer version

CVE stands for Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures. An identifier such as CVE-2026-111497 lets software vendors, defenders, researchers and scanners discuss the same issue without relying on inconsistent product-specific names.

A CVE record generally includes a description, references and status information. The record does not, by itself, guarantee that a vulnerability is exploitable in every product version or configuration. Severity scores, exploited-in-the-wild reporting and patch availability are additional pieces of evidence.

CVE is distinct from the Common Vulnerability Scoring System, or CVSS, which describes severity. The National Vulnerability Database enriches many CVE records with analysis, but its entries may lag behind a vendor advisory or disagree about configuration details.

When evaluating a report, match the CVE to the actual package, affected range and reachable code path. Use the vendor bulletin for remediation and record the patch or mitigation applied to each system.

Where we use “CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures)”

CybersecurityExploits Overtake Stolen Passwords
Verizon's 2026 DBIR puts exploitation first at 31%, ahead of credential abuse at 13%. The rise is real, but a new category and a changed taxonomy make the gap look wider than it is.
Nov 1, 2026
CybersecurityCitrix and Ivanti Edge Zero-Days: What to Patch Now
Citrix NetScaler and Ivanti Connect Secure were exploited before fixes existed, and NetScaler's 4 October fix builds are still affected by a later SAML flaw on appliances acting as an identity provider. Here are the builds to move to by 6 November and how to check for compromise.
Nov 1, 2026
CybersecurityCISA Adds Exploited GitLab and Cisco Flaws
Two exploited flaws hit CISA's KEV catalog on 29 October, but upgrading GitLab to the 12 October builds still leaves a second CVSS 10.0 flaw open. Here's what to patch, and in what order.
Nov 1, 2026

The longer version

Where we use “CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures)”

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