Urgent Alert: Funding for Critical Cybersecurity CVE Program Expires Today

Immediate Impact on Global Cybersecurity

The expiration of U.S. government funding for the CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) and CWE (Common Weakness Enumeration) programs could cause significant disruptions within the global cybersecurity industry, as highlighted by MITRE Vice President Yosry Barsoum.

Overview of CVE’s Crucial Role

The CVE program, essential for maintaining transparent and standardized security communications, is funded by the U.S. National Cyber Security Division of the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Its implementation ensures that:

• All newly discovered vulnerabilities are tracked precisely using CVE Identifiers.
• Security flaws are cataloged in a coordinated manner, improving information sharing among security tools via a universally recognized reference system.

Adverse Consequences of Funding Cessation

According to Barsoum’s warning in a recent communiqué to CVE Board members, the potential discontinuation on Wednesday, April 16, 2025, could lead to:

• A breakdown of national databases and security advisories.
• Significant disruption to incident response operations and critical infrastructure protection.

Community Reaction and Further Risks

The prospect of the CVE system’s shutdown has alarmed various security leaders, who foresee the collapse of critical security management tools and processes. Jean Easterly, former head of CISA, emphasized the potential for widespread chaos, akin to stripping every library of its catalog, thereby crippling defenders’ ability to organize against threats.

Moreover, Casey Ellis, founder of the crowdsourced security company Bugcrowd, pointed out the extensive implications on vulnerability management and national security that could swiftly arise from the service’s disruption.

Government and Organizational Responses

Despite the urgent situation, a CISA spokesperson assured efforts are underway to mitigate the impact and maintain the vital CVE services that global stakeholders depend on. Additionally, the challenge of ongoing CVE maintenance is echoed by NIST’s efforts to manage a significant backlog within its National Vulnerability Database.