Cisco emails its customer security announcement list for the first release of an advisory and for major revisions. Minor revisions are posted to the website with no email. If you need every change, use the RSS feed, My Notifications or the openVuln API instead of the mailing list alone.
The channels
Cisco's security vulnerability policy describes several ways to receive advisories, and says the feeds are free and need no Cisco.com registration. The channels include:
- an email list, joined by sending a message to the subscribe address given in the policy;
- an RSS feed;
- My Notifications, for a tailored set of alerts;
- the PSIRT openVuln API for automation.
Which advisories are covered
The policy says security advisories cover vulnerabilities of Critical, High and Medium security impact rating. They are clear-signed with the Cisco PSIRT PGP key and distributed to the announcement list. Informational advisories may also be sent. Advisories that disclose Critical, High or Medium issues include an option to download CSAF content, which is machine readable.
What triggers an email
Emails go out for the initial release of an advisory and for major revisions. The policy defines a major revision as a change PSIRT considers significant to how customers should address the vulnerability. Examples include changes to the affected products list, to the impact rating, to mitigations or workarounds, and to fixed release information.
A minor revision is posted without an email. Customers who need automated alerts for those should use the RSS feed or My Notifications.
Why this matters
If your process assumes "no email means nothing changed", you can miss a quiet change that still affects you, such as a corrected product list. Build your process around a source that shows every revision, then let the email act as a prompt.
Setting it up
- Subscribe the shared security mailbox, not a person, to the announcement list.
- Add the RSS feed to the channel where your network or platform team works.
- If you manage many products, use My Notifications to filter by product, or poll the API.
- Ingest the CSAF file, where present, into your tracker so product matching is automatic.
- Keep a list of Cisco products and software versions in your estate.
| Event | Email sent | Other channel |
|---|---|---|
| Initial release | Yes | RSS, notifications, API |
| Major revision | Yes | RSS, notifications, API |
| Minor revision | No | RSS, notifications, API |
What to do with each notice
Read the affected products list first. Then read the fixed release table for your software train, and check whether a workaround exists if you cannot upgrade soon. Log a decision with a date.
For how to judge whether any vendor notice applies, see read a vendor security advisory: does it apply to you.
Where Safeguard fits
Safeguard's asset discovery helps you keep the inventory of products and versions that the matching step needs. A free scan is at https://gold.safeguard.sh/scan.
Quick check
Will I get an email for every advisory update?
No. The policy says minor revisions are posted without an email. Use RSS or My Notifications for those.
Is a Cisco.com account required for the feeds?
The policy says the feeds are free and do not require an active Cisco.com registration.
Sources
- Cisco Security Vulnerability Policy, fetched 19 October 2026.
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
