Top Highlights
- Over 110 new CVEs are published daily in 2024, with only 5-7% exploited in the wild, indicating a rapidly expanding attack surface.
- CVSS scores can mislead prioritization, as lower-rated vulnerabilities in active campaigns pose greater threats than higher-rated but dormant CVEs.
- The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) enhances vulnerability triage by probabilistically estimating exploitation likelihood within 30 days, improving response focus.
The Threat, Attack Techniques, and Targets
Every day, new CVEs are published at a high rate. In 2023, more than 29,000 CVEs appeared, and in 2024, over 40,000. On average, about 110 CVEs are released each day. Some of these vulnerabilities are exploited quickly after discovery. About 5-7% of CVEs are exploited in the wild.
The increasing number of CVEs is driven by many factors. The security research community has grown a lot. Automated tools and bug bounty programs now find vulnerabilities faster. Software supply chains are more complex and expose more attack points. Artificial intelligence is also used more often to find weaknesses.
Many CVEs are rated with a CVSS score. This score measures how severe a vulnerability could be. It considers how bad the impact might be, how difficult it is to exploit, and what privileges are needed. However, a high CVSS score does not always mean an immediate threat. Some CVEs with lower scores are actively used in attacks.
The Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) helps prioritize CVEs. It predicts the chance of exploitation within 30 days of the CVE being published. The current version, EPSS v3, uses machine learning and data from various sources. It gives a score between 0.00001 and 1.0, representing the probability of exploitation. Security teams can query this system through an API or automate scoring using scripts. This approach assists in focus and resource allocation for vulnerability management.
Impact, Security Implications, and Remediation Guidance
The primary impact of CVEs with high EPSS scores is that they are more likely to be exploited soon after discovery. This can lead to data breaches, system compromises, or disruption of services. As a result, organizations face increased security risks and potential damage to reputation.
Using EPSS can improve decision-making in vulnerability response. It helps security teams identify which CVEs need urgent attention. They can prioritize based on the likelihood of exploitation rather than just severity scores. This reduces the chance of attackers exploiting overlooked vulnerabilities.
It is important to note that specific remediation guidance for individual CVEs should be obtained from the relevant vendor or authoritative sources. Organizations should regularly consult vendor advisories and security updates. Integrating EPSS scores into existing security workflows can enhance threat mitigation.
In conclusion, while EPSS is a useful tool for risk assessment, proper action depends on specific context and available patches. Always verify the latest recommendations from trusted sources to protect your systems effectively.
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