Cybersecurity attacks, exploits, and bugs are reported through various standardized frameworks and databases. These frameworks provide a structured approach to identifying, classifying, and managing cybersecurity threats. The primary frameworks and databases include the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE), the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS), and the MITRE ATT&CK framework. Each of these plays a distinct role in the cybersecurity landscape:
- Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE):
- Purpose: CVE is a list of publicly disclosed cybersecurity vulnerabilities and exposures.
- Reporting: Each vulnerability is assigned a unique CVE ID. This ID serves as a standard reference point for every vulnerability and facilitates easy sharing of data across various security tools and services.
- Content: A CVE entry includes a description of the vulnerability, relevant references (like advisories, solutions, or tools), and, when available, the CVSS scores.
- Usage: CVE is widely used in cybersecurity. It helps in tracking vulnerabilities, in security advisories, and in the development of security tools and services.
- Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS):
- Purpose: CVSS provides a standardized way to capture the principal characteristics of a vulnerability and produce a numerical score reflecting its severity.
- Scoring: The CVSS score ranges from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating greater severity. The scoring system is based on several metrics that assess aspects like exploitability and impact.
- Components: It includes Base, Temporal, and Environmental metrics. Base metrics cover the intrinsic qualities of a vulnerability, Temporal metrics cover aspects that change over time, and Environmental metrics account for the vulnerability’s impact in a specific environment.
- Usage: CVSS scores are used by organizations to prioritize vulnerability management and response.
- MITRE ATT&CK Framework:
- Purpose: This is a globally accessible knowledge base of adversary tactics and techniques based on real-world observations of cybersecurity incidents.
- Content: It categorizes and describes the various methods attackers use to compromise networks, systems, and information.
- Structure: The framework organizes these tactics and techniques across a matrix that is generally aligned with the stages of an attack lifecycle. It includes categories like Initial Access, Execution, Persistence, Privilege Escalation, Defense Evasion, Credential Access, Discovery, Lateral Movement, Collection, Exfiltration, and Command and Control.
- Usage: Security professionals use MITRE ATT&CK for planning, training, and to understand and emulate the behavior of threat actors.
These frameworks are complementary. CVE and CVSS provide specific information about vulnerabilities and their severity, while MITRE ATT&CK offers insight into broader attack patterns and techniques. Together, they provide a comprehensive understanding of the cybersecurity threat landscape. In a business development and cloud technologies context, familiarity with these frameworks is crucial for understanding the security risks associated with cloud services and developing strategies to mitigate them.
