CVSS System Criticized for Failure to Address Real-World Impact
The Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) is a well-known method for rating the severity of security vulnerabilities. It’s used by security professionals and researchers to quickly evaluate the potential impact of vulnerabilities and prioritize their remediation efforts. However, a recent study has criticized the CVSS system for its failure to address real-world impact.
The study, conducted by researchers from the University of Maryland and Virginia Tech, analyzed 20,000 vulnerabilities across 15 years and found that the CVSS system does not accurately reflect the true impact of vulnerabilities. The researchers argue that the CVSS system primarily focuses on technical details such as exploitability and attack complexity, while ignoring factors such as business impact and user context.
The researchers note that the CVSS system’s focus on technical details can result in vulnerabilities being overrated or underrated in terms of their actual impact. For example, a vulnerability with a low CVSS score may still have significant real-world impact if it affects a critical business system or puts sensitive data at risk.
The study also highlights that the CVSS system fails to account for the human element of security. For example, a vulnerability that requires an attacker to physically access a device may receive a low CVSS score, but in reality, such a vulnerability may be easy to exploit if the attacker can gain physical access to the device.
The researchers suggest that a more comprehensive approach is needed to accurately assess the impact of vulnerabilities. They propose a framework that takes into account both technical and non-technical factors, such as business impact and user context, and includes a broader range of stakeholders in the evaluation process.
In conclusion, while the CVSS system has been a useful tool in the security community, this study highlights the need for a more comprehensive approach to vulnerability assessment that takes into account real-world impact and the human element of security. By including a broader range of stakeholders and factors in the evaluation process, we can more accurately identify and prioritize security vulnerabilities and better protect our digital assets.
