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National Vulnerability Database

National Vulnerability Database is a comprehensive cyber security vulnerability database that integrates all publicly available U.S. Government vulnerability resources and provides references to industry resources.

  • USERS POPULATE THE VULNERABILITY DATABASE
    A database of computer vulnerabilities created by the National
    Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has proven extremely
    popular, both for reporting new problems and for researching existing
    ones. Since its debut one year ago, the National Vulnerability Database
    receives hits at the rate of 25 million per year and has grown from
    12,000 vulnerabilities to 20,000, with new ones being reported
    regularly. According to Peter Mell, senior computer scientist at NIST,
    who created the database, “I think 20,000 is just the tip of the
    iceberg.” The database categorizes vulnerabilities by product and
    version number, directing users to resources to fix the problems. The
    database uses the Common Vulnerability Scoring System to rate the
    severity of each vulnerability recorded. Alan Paller, director of
    research at the SANS Institute, noted that a significant portion of the
    most recently reported problems affect Web-based applications.
    Federal Computer Week, 31 October 2006" – source Educause Edupage Listserv