Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures

The Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) system, originally Common Vulnerability Enumeration, provides a reference method for publicly known information-security vulnerabilities and exposures. The United States' Homeland Security Systems Engineering and Development Institute FFRDC, operated by The MITRE Corporation, maintains the system, with funding from the US National Cyber Security Division of the US Department of Homeland Security. The system was officially launched for the public in September 1999.
The Security Content Automation Protocol uses CVE, and CVE IDs are listed on MITRE's system are the basis for the US National Vulnerability Database.