CVSS Implementation Guidance

Published

April 28, 2014

Author(s)

Joshua M. Franklin, Charles W. Wergin, Harold Booth

Abstract

This Interagency Report provides guidance to individuals scoring vulnerabilities using the Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) Version 2.0 scoring metrics. CVSS defines a vulnerability as a bug, flaw, weakness, or exposure of an application, system device, or service that could lead to a failure of confidentiality, integrity, or availability [12]. The guidance in this document is the result of applying the CVSS specification to score over 50,000 vulnerabilities analyzed by the National Vulnerability Database (NVD). An overview of the CVSS base metrics is first presented followed by guidance for difficult and/or unique scoring situations. To assist vulnerability analysts, common keywords and phrases are identified and accompanied by suggested scores for particular types of software vulnerabilities. The report includes a collection of scored vulnerabilities from the NVD, alongside a justification for the provided score. Finally, this report contains a description of the NVD’s vulnerability scoring process.

Citation

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR) - 7946

Report Number

7946

NIST Pub Series

NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR)

Pub Type

NIST Pubs

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DOI Link

Keywords

Common Vulnerability Scoring System Version 2.0, CVSS v2.0, National Vulnerability Database, NVD, security metrics, vulnerabilities, vulnerability scoring

Citation

Franklin, J. , Wergin, C. and Booth, H. (2014), CVSS Implementation Guidance, NIST Interagency/Internal Report (NISTIR), National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD, [online], https://doi.org/10.6028/NIST.IR.7946 (Accessed April 24, 2026)

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