Imagine a fire alarm system in perfect working order… but no one’s listening anymore.
That’s what cybersecurity could become if software vulnerabilities stop being centralized, tracked, or properly indexed.
And in 2025, that scenario is no longer just hypothetical.
The MITRE CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) program, a cornerstone of global vulnerability management, now faces an uncertain future.
MITRE’s CVE: The Backbone of Cybersecurity
For over two decades, the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) program managed by MITRE has served as the global index for known software flaws.
Identifiers like CVE-2021-30860 (FORCEDENTRY) or CVE-2020-0022 (BlueFrag) are essential reference points for security professionals.
The CVE database powers:
- SIEM tools (Security Information and Event Management)
- Vulnerability scanners
- SBOM (Software Bill of Materials) managers
- Threat intelligence feeds
- And, in practice, every SOC (Security Operations Center) triage
But in late 2024, unexpected news surfaced: the CISA (Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency) was considering scaling back (or even withdrawing) its funding for MITRE.
As of early 2025, MITRE is still maintaining the CVE system… but how long will that last?
If MITRE Disappears, Who Takes Over?
If the organization ensuring consistency across the CVE system is no longer funded, what alternatives do we have?
Some initiatives exist, but none are fully equipped to take over the central role:
- ENISA, the EU cybersecurity agency
⚠️ Could introduce fragmentation if not globally aligned - Google’s OSV, focused on open-source vulnerabilities
⚠️ Doesn’t cover proprietary software or embedded systems - Industry-specific CNAs (CVE Numbering Authorities)
⚠️ Brings us back to a fragmented, 1990s-style landscape
A potential solution could be the creation of a nonprofit CVE Foundation—but that’s still speculative.
The Bigger Problem: Using the Vulnerability Data
Even with a perfect vulnerability index, there’s another major issue ➡️ If organizations don’t continuously analyze their applications against known vulnerabilities, nothing really changes.
You can publish all the CVEs in the world, set up GitHub alerts, or shout about them on X…
🚨 But knowing a CVE isn’t enough. Taking action is what counts.
Moving Toward Proactive Security
So, what should organizations do in this uncertain landscape?
- Automate continuous analysis using SCA (Software Composition Analysis) tools
- Leverage SBOMs to match known CVEs with installed software
- Monitor multiple vulnerability feeds, not just MITRE CVE
At Smile and neopixl, we believe security should be built-in from the earliest development phases.
That’s why we integrate automated tools that help detect, correlate, and act on vulnerabilities throughout the entire software lifecycle.
Need help securing your applications? Let’s talk.
