Navigating the Challenges of Non-Resolvable CVEs and SCA Scanner Noise in Software Development

In today's fast-paced software development landscape, development teams face numerous challenges, particularly when it comes to managing security vulnerabilities. Two significant pain points are non-resolvable Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVEs) and the overwhelming noise generated by Software Composition Analysis (SCA) scanners. Let's delve into these issues and explore potential strategies to mitigate their impact.

The Dilemma of Non-Resolvable CVEs

CVEs are standardized identifiers for known security vulnerabilities, providing a common language for discussing and addressing security issues. However, not all CVEs come with straightforward solutions. Non-resolvable CVEs, those without available patches or clear remediation paths, pose a significant challenge for development teams.

Key Issues:

Data Quality and Fidelity: Many CVEs lack essential metadata, such as specific impact details and affected libraries, making it difficult to assess their severity and relevance.

Perverse Incentives: Organizations may choose to hide vulnerabilities to protect their image, leading to incomplete or outdated CVE information.

Prioritization Challenges: Traditional scoring systems like the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) often fail to provide context about real-world exploitability, leading to misallocation of resources.

Strategies for Mitigation:

• Adopt Data-Driven Approaches: Utilize tools like the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog to prioritize vulnerabilities based on real-world threat intelligence.
• Enhance Collaboration: Foster better communication between development and security teams to ensure vulnerabilities are addressed promptly and effectively.

Impact of CVE Analysis Slowdown

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has recently experienced delays in analyzing and enriching CVEs in the National Vulnerability Database (NVD). This slowdown means that many vulnerabilities are not being thoroughly examined or tagged with critical metadata, such as Common Weakness Enumerators (CWEs) and Common Platform Enumerators (CPEs).

Key Issues:

1. Incomplete Data: With fewer CVEs being analyzed, development teams lack essential information needed to assess the severity and impact of vulnerabilities.
2. Increased Risk: The absence of timely analysis can lead to missed critical vulnerabilities, leaving systems exposed to potential exploits.
3. Resource Allocation: Teams may struggle to prioritize vulnerabilities effectively without accurate CVSS scores and other enrichment data.

Strategies for Mitigation:

• Leverage Alternative Data Sources: Utilize tools like the Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS) and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency’s (CISA) Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) Catalog to prioritize vulnerabilities based on real-world threat intelligence.
• Enhance Internal Processes: Strengthen internal vulnerability management processes to compensate for the lack of external data. This includes better communication between development and security teams.

The Noise from SCA Scanners

SCA tools are essential for identifying vulnerabilities in open-source components, but they often generate a high volume of alerts, many of which are false positives. This noise can overwhelm development teams, leading to alert fatigue and missed critical vulnerabilities.

Key Issues:

1. False Positives: Early-stage scanning, such as in the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), can produce excessive noise, distracting developers from their primary tasks.
2. Delayed Fixes: Late-stage scanning, during build or runtime, can delay the identification and remediation of vulnerabilities, increasing risk exposure.
3. Complex Dependency Management: Modern development environments with complex dependency trees can lead to noisy results and missed vulnerabilities.

Strategies for Mitigation:

• Implement Real-Time Scanning: Conduct scans during code pushes to ensure vulnerabilities are detected and addressed by the appropriate developers before reaching production.
• Prioritize Reachability Analysis: Focus on vulnerabilities that are exploitable within your code to optimize resource allocation and reduce noise.
• Leverage Advanced SCA Tools: Utilize next-generation SCA tools that offer deep program analysis and accurate dependency resolution to minimize false positives and provide actionable insights.

Conclusion

The challenges posed by non-resolvable CVEs and SCA scanner noise are significant, but not insurmountable. By adopting data-driven approaches, enhancing collaboration, and leveraging advanced tools, development teams can navigate these obstacles more effectively. As the cybersecurity landscape continues to evolve, staying proactive and adaptive will be key to maintaining robust security postures.

Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences on this topic. How has your team tackled these challenges? Let's continue the conversation and learn from each other.

References:

1:Critical CVEs are going under-analyzed as NIST falls behind

2:NVD slowdown leaves thousands of vulns without analysis data

3:A Vulnerability Management Crisis: The Issues with CVE

4:Quantifying Vulnerability Risk | Identify & Remediate CVEs with Exploit-Driven Prioritization

5:Evaluating SCA Tools for Addressing Open Source Vulnerabilities

6:Endor Labs Achieves 92% Reduction in SCA Alerts