What is the purpose of CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures)?

The purpose of CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) is to list disclosed vulnerabilities with unique identifiers. This system enables consistent identification of vulnerabilities across different tools and services, which is essential for effective communication about security risks. By assigning unique IDs to each vulnerability, CVE facilitates the exchange of information among various stakeholders, including software vendors, security researchers, and organizations that must protect their systems.

This capability allows security professionals to quickly reference vulnerabilities in a standardized manner, which is crucial for patch management, vulnerability assessment, and risk management processes. Additionally, having a centralized repository of disclosed vulnerabilities helps organizations prioritize their security measures based on the known vulnerabilities that may impact their systems.

In contrast, creating public security policies, training cybersecurity staff, or conducting penetration tests does not directly relate to the primary function of CVE. While these activities are essential in the broader context of cybersecurity, they are not the focus of what CVE aims to achieve.