MITRE Corporation, which has overseen the CVE program since its launch in 1999, is facing a lapse in its stewardship. The contract with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and its Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) is set to expire on April 16, 2025. This could result in the cessation of updates to the CVE program, which catalogs cybersecurity vulnerabilities relied upon by governments, cybersecurity vendors, and critical infrastructure entities worldwide. MITRE’s Vice President Yosry Barsoum confirmed that the program’s operations will halt without renewal, with no new vulnerabilities added.
Once the contract lapses, the CVE program’s website will eventually shut down, leaving historical CVE records available only on GitHub. The program, a cornerstone of the cybersecurity system, has been crucial for vulnerability identification since its inception. While DHS and CISA have worked with MITRE for weeks to find a solution, the expiration of this contract raises concerns about the future of cybersecurity databases, incident response, and critical infrastructure protections.
MITRE has emphasized its ongoing commitment to the CVE program, although the lack of renewed funding is a pressing issue.
CISA has stated that they are actively working to mitigate the impact of the program’s expiration, but have not clarified why the contract is being canceled or what will happen next. MITRE’s warning to the CVE board about potential consequences highlights the risks of losing a global cybersecurity resource. This could affect national vulnerability databases, tools used by vendors, and incident response efforts.
The lapse also aligns with a broader trend of expiring cybersecurity contracts across various sectors, including those for MS-ISAC and Election ISAC.
Experts have voiced concern about the potential national security risks of such a disruption. Casey Ellis, founder of Bugcrowd, stressed that the CVE program underpins critical elements of vulnerability management and incident response. A sudden interruption in this service could escalate into a significant national security problem.
Reference:
