Yes. For a new security program, CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog is a sound first input for patch priority, because every entry has reliable evidence of active exploitation and a clear fix. Use it together with your inventory and with what is exposed to the internet, since KEV is an input, not a full plan.
What the catalog is
CISA maintains the KEV catalog as the authoritative source of vulnerabilities exploited in the wild. A vulnerability is added when it meets three criteria: it has a CVE ID, there is reliable evidence of active exploitation, and there is a clear remediation action, such as a vendor provided update. CISA strongly recommends all organizations review and monitor the catalog and prioritize remediation of listed items. Its page also notes that federal civilian agencies must remediate KEV items within set timeframes under a directive issued in June 2026, while other organizations are not bound by it.
That last point matters: private companies are not required to follow the directive. The guidance is a recommendation for them.
Why it suits a first year program
A young program has few engineers and a lot of findings. A short, evidence based list of what attackers are using is a rare gift. It avoids arguments about score thresholds and it is easy to explain to leadership.
CISA also suggests using the catalog as an input to a vulnerability management prioritization framework, and mentions SSVC as one such framework that considers exploitation status.
How to use it in practice
- Match KEV against your inventory. A catalog entry matters when you run the product. Your dependency and asset inventory makes the match quick.
- Rank by exposure. Internet facing systems first. CISA's performance goals describe patching or mitigating known exploited vulnerabilities in internet facing systems within a risk informed span of time as an outcome.
- Set a response expectation. Choose a target window that you can meet and write it in the vulnerability policy.
- Record exceptions. If you cannot patch, document compensating controls and an expiry date.
- Assign a rota. One engineer a week checks new entries.
What KEV does not tell you
- It does not list every risky vulnerability. Exploitation may exist that has not been confirmed or published.
- It says nothing about your configuration. A listed flaw in a component you never expose is lower priority than one on your edge.
- It does not cover your own code.
FIRST describes EPSS as a model estimating the probability that a published CVE will be exploited in the next 30 days, which complements KEV by scoring entries that are not yet listed. See the post on which signal to use first.
Try it yourself
This demo shows a vulnerability management view where findings are ranked. Click through the filters and look at how exploitation status and reachability change which item sits at the top.
Click through it at your own pace, or open it full screen.
Safeguard's dependency scanning, reachability analysis and zero-day discovery help match exploited vulnerabilities to what you run. Try the free scan.
Quick check
Do private companies have to follow KEV deadlines?
The directive binds federal civilian agencies. CISA recommends that every organization prioritize KEV items, but private companies set their own timelines.
Is KEV enough on its own?
No. Combine it with your inventory, exposure and, where useful, exploit probability and reachability.
Sources
- CISA: Reducing the Significant Risk of Known Exploited Vulnerabilities
- CISA Cybersecurity Performance Goals (archived page that points to a newer version)
- FIRST: EPSS
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
