National Vulnerability Database

National Vulnerability Database
Name	National Vulnerability Database
Abbreviation	NVD
Established	2005
Owner	National Institute of Standards and Technology

National Vulnerability Database

The National Vulnerability Database is a repository that catalogs computer security vulnerabilities with standardized identifiers and metadata. It interrelates entries with standards, tools, and organizations to facilitate vulnerability management across industry, including links to Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, Common Weakness Enumeration, and National Institute of Standards and Technology. The database supports interoperability with frameworks and products from vendors such as Microsoft, Red Hat, Oracle Corporation, and Cisco Systems.

Overview

The database aggregates vulnerability records using identifiers like Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures and maps them to metrics such as Common Vulnerability Scoring System, linking entries to mitigation guidance from National Institute of Standards and Technology, best practices from Open Web Application Security Project, and compliance frameworks like Federal Information Security Management Act of 2002 and NIST Special Publication 800-53. It serves stakeholders including agencies such as Department of Homeland Security, commercial entities like IBM, Amazon (company), and open-source communities exemplified by Apache Software Foundation and Debian.

History and Development

The initiative began following interoperability needs identified by standards organizations and was coordinated by National Institute of Standards and Technology in collaboration with Department of Homeland Security and industry partners including Microsoft and IBM. Early development drew on preexisting efforts such as Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures maintained by MITRE Corporation and leveraged scoring frameworks like Common Vulnerability Scoring System developed by FIRST. Subsequent modernization aligned NVD capabilities with initiatives from Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and harmonized with international standards bodies like International Organization for Standardization and Internet Engineering Task Force.

Database Content and Standards

Entries include identifiers, descriptions, severity metrics, configuration checks, and references to advisories from vendors including Apple Inc., Google, Oracle Corporation, and Mozilla Corporation. Metadata conforms to taxonomies such as Common Platform Enumeration and links weaknesses to Common Weakness Enumeration entries, while impact metrics reference Common Vulnerability Scoring System versions maintained by FIRST. Records cross-reference advisories from vendors and CERT teams such as CERT Coordination Center, reports from security vendors like Kaspersky Lab and Symantec Corporation, and academic publications from institutions like Carnegie Mellon University and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Access and Use

Public access is provided to analysts from organizations including Department of Defense, United States Postal Service, and private-sector firms like CrowdStrike and FireEye. Users query the database programmatically using feeds compatible with tools from vendors including Tenable, Inc., Qualys, and Rapid7, or integrate results into platforms such as Splunk and Elastic (company). The resource supports compliance workflows tied to statutes such as the Federal Information Security Modernization Act of 2014 and procurement standards used by agencies like General Services Administration.

Integration and Services

The database interoperates with vulnerability management products from Microsoft, Red Hat, and Canonical (company), and with orchestration tools such as Ansible and Puppet (software). It provides data for vulnerability feeds consumed by incident response teams at entities like Mandiant and SANS Institute, and contributes to automated patching pipelines used by cloud providers including Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud Platform, and Microsoft Azure. The NVD also maps to standards such as Security Content Automation Protocol and integrates guidance from Center for Internet Security benchmarks and audit frameworks used by PricewaterhouseCoopers and Deloitte.

Governance and Security Practices

Oversight involves agencies and organizations such as National Institute of Standards and Technology, Department of Homeland Security, and coordination with MITRE Corporation for identifier assignment practices. Security practices reflect disclosure norms advocated by Responsible disclosure proponents and coordinated vulnerability disclosure efforts involving vendors like Microsoft and researchers at institutions such as Stanford University and University of California, Berkeley. Data stewardship follows principles aligned with international cooperation from entities like European Union Agency for Cybersecurity and policy guidance from Office of Management and Budget.

Category:Computer security databases