Beyond the Score: How to Cut Through CVE Noise with Threat Intelligence
In today’s complex digital landscape, security teams face a relentless challenge: an overwhelming flood of Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs). With tens of thousands of new vulnerabilities disclosed each year, the idea of patching every single one is not just daunting—it’s impossible. This constant stream of alerts, often called “CVE noise,” can lead to team burnout and, more dangerously, a failure to prioritize the threats that truly matter.
The core problem is that not all vulnerabilities are created equal. While many are identified, only a small fraction are ever actively exploited by attackers in the real world. The key to an effective security posture isn’t patching everything; it’s patching the right things at the right time. To do that, teams must move beyond traditional scoring systems and embrace a more intelligent, threat-informed approach.
The Limits of Traditional Scoring Systems (CVSS & EPSS)
For years, security professionals have relied on scoring systems to help prioritize their remediation efforts. While useful, these systems have significant limitations that can misdirect valuable time and resources.
The most well-known is the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS). CVSS assigns a numerical score from 0 to 10 based on a vulnerability’s intrinsic characteristics, such as its complexity and potential impact. However, this system has a critical flaw: a high CVSS score is static and does not account for real-world exploitability. Many vulnerabilities rated “Critical” are purely theoretical and are never used in an actual attack. Teams that chase high CVSS scores often find themselves wasting effort on threats that pose no immediate danger.
To address this, the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) was developed. EPSS provides a probability score, estimating the likelihood that a vulnerability will be exploited within the next 30 days. This is a significant step forward, adding a layer of predictive analysis. Yet, EPSS also has its limits. It tells you the “what” (the probability), but it lacks the critical context or the “why” behind the threat. A high probability score doesn’t explain if the exploit is being used by ransomware gangs, is part of a simple proof-of-concept, or is being discussed on the dark web.
A New Paradigm: From Scores to Actionable Threat Signals
To truly cut through the noise, organizations must evolve from relying on abstract scores to analyzing concrete, explainable threat signals. This approach shifts the focus from a vulnerability’s theoretical potential to its actual, observable risk in the wild. Instead of just asking “How severe is it?”, the question becomes, “Is anyone actively using this to harm organizations like mine?”
By correlating vulnerability data with real-time threat intelligence, security teams can pinpoint the handful of CVEs that represent a clear and present danger to their specific environment.
Key Threat Signals to Watch For
An effective, threat-informed vulnerability management program looks for specific, evidence-based signals that elevate a vulnerability from a theoretical risk to an urgent priority.
Actual Exploitation in the Wild: This is the most critical signal. If a vulnerability is being actively exploited, it should be at the top of the remediation list. A key resource here is the CISA Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog, which lists vulnerabilities that have been confirmed as being used in real-world attacks.
Publicly Available Exploit Code: The moment that functional exploit code or a detailed proof-of-concept (PoC) is published, the barrier for attackers drops dramatically. Even less sophisticated threat actors can then leverage the vulnerability, significantly increasing its risk profile.
Malware and Ransomware Association: A strong signal of imminent danger is when a vulnerability is incorporated into active malware, exploit kits, or ransomware campaigns. Knowing that a specific CVE is a preferred tool for a notorious ransomware gang provides undeniable justification for immediate patching.
Attacker Chatter and Trends: Monitoring threat intelligence feeds and dark web forums can provide early warnings. When attackers begin discussing or trading methods to exploit a specific vulnerability, it is often a leading indicator of a future wave of attacks.
Actionable Steps for Your Security Program
Transitioning to a threat-informed model requires a strategic shift in both tools and mindset. Here are a few steps to get started:
- Integrate Threat Intelligence: Ensure your vulnerability management platform is integrated with high-quality threat intelligence feeds that provide context on exploitation, malware association, and attacker chatter.
- Prioritize the CISA KEV List: Make patching all vulnerabilities on the CISA KEV Catalog a non-negotiable, top-priority task for your team.
- Automate Correlation: Use automation to connect the dots between the vulnerabilities in your environment and the threat signals seen in the wild. This allows your team to focus on remediation, not manual research.
- Communicate with Context: When briefing leadership or IT teams, move away from citing CVSS scores. Instead, explain the “why” behind a priority patch. Stating that a vulnerability is “actively being used by the XYZ ransomware group to attack our industry” is far more compelling than saying it has a “CVSS score of 9.8.”
By focusing on explainable threat signals rather than abstract scores, organizations can transform their vulnerability management program from a reactive, overwhelming chore into a proactive, strategic defense against the threats that truly matter.
Source: https://www.helpnetsecurity.com/2025/09/03/nucleus-insights/
