NOTICE: Due to a lapse in annual appropriations, most of this website is not being updated. Learn more.

Form submissions will still be accepted but will not receive responses at this time. Sections of this site for programs using non-appropriated funds (such as NVLAP) or those that are excepted from the shutdown (such as CHIPS and NVD) will continue to be updated.

U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Official websites use .gov
A .gov website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.

Secure .gov websites use HTTPS
A lock ( ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

PUBLICATIONS

Common Platform Enumeration: Applicability Language Specification Version 2.3

Published

Author(s)

David A. Waltermire, Paul R. Cichonski, Karen Scarfone

Abstract

This report defines the Common Platform Enumeration (CPE) Applicability Language version 2.3 specification. The CPE Applicability Language specification is part of a stack of CPE specifications that support a variety of use cases relating to IT product description and naming. The CPE Applicability Language data model builds on top of other CPE specifications to provide the functionality required to allow CPE users to construct complex groupings of CPE names to describe IT platforms. These groupings are referred to as applicability statements because they are used to designate which platforms particular guidance, policies, etc. apply to. This report defines the semantics of the CPE Applicability Language data model and the requirements that IT products and CPE Applicability Language documents must meet for conformance with the CPE Applicability Language version 2.3 specification.
Citation
NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 7698
Report Number
7698
NIST Pub Series
NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)
Pub Type
NIST Pubs

Download Paper

https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7698
Local Download

Keywords

Common Platform Enumeration, CPE, SCAP, security automation
Cybersecurity and privacy

Citation

Waltermire, D. , Cichonski, P. and Scarfone, K. (2011), Common Platform Enumeration: Applicability Language Specification Version 2.3, NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7698 (Accessed October 8, 2025)

Issues

If you have any questions about this publication or are having problems accessing it, please contact [email protected].

Created August 18, 2011, Updated March 1, 2021
Was this page helpful?