How to Use the New European Vulnerability Database Like a Pro

Cybersecurity threats do not respect borders, and our defenses should not either. ENISA developed the European Vulnerability Database (EUVD) to be an open-access, Europe-wide platform for anyone—anyone from red teamers to SOC analysts—to track, assess, and remediate public software vulnerabilities. If you work in cybersecurity and have not visited the EUVD yet, this guide will step you through why it is important and how to make the most of it compared to the existing tools such as CVE.

What Is the European Vulnerability Database?

Developed and managed by the European Union Agency for Cybersecurity (ENISA), EUVD is a national library of public software vulnerabilities. Its primary aim is to support EU Member States and organizations in standardized vulnerability disclosure and efficient vulnerability tracking.

Unlike the U.S.-centric CVE/NVD programs, the EUVD provides an independent European alternative that complements these efforts by incorporating European-centric data flows, vendor coordination processes, and open advisory publishing.

Key Features:

• Completely free and publicly accessible
• Searchable by text or vulnerability ID
• Offers advanced filtering (e.g., CVSS, EPSS, vendor, product, date)
• Includes data on exploitation status, severity (EPSS score), and more

According to CSO Online, ENISA aims for EUVD to complement rather than compete with the CVE ecosystem, creating interoperability instead of fragmentation.

In its official announcement, ENISA emphasized that the EUVD is part of Europe’s broader strategy to “enhance digital resilience and transparency,” highlighting the platform’s role in improving cooperation among national authorities and supporting secure-by-design principles across EU industries [ENISA News].

Why Should You Use EUVD?

While U.S.-based organizations often default to the National Vulnerability Database (NVD), the EUVD offers several distinct benefits:

• Vendor-neutral aggregation of vulnerability advisories
• Faster visibility of EU-reported vulnerabilities
• Filter for actively exploited vulnerabilities, essential for prioritization
• Structured data ready for integration via public API

Whether you’re a threat intel analyst, vulnerability manager, or software vendor, using EUVD allows you to see more of the full picture—especially as vulnerability coordination efforts within the EU mature.

How to Use the European Vulnerability Database (EUVD)

Step 1: Visit the Search Interface

Head to the main interface at euvd.enisa.europa.eu/search. You’ll find a clean, intuitive UI with search, filters, and sortable columns.

You can start with:

• Text search (e.g., “OpenSSL”, “buffer overflow”)
• ID search (e.g., EUVD-2023-12345, or an Alternative ID like a CVE)

Step 2: Use Filters to Narrow Results

Once you enter your query or keyword, refine results using the following filters:

Available Filters:

• CVSS Score (set min and max)
• EPSS Score (expected probability of exploitation)
• Vendor (e.g., Microsoft, Siemens)
• Product (e.g., Apache Log4j)
• Assigner (who submitted the vulnerability)
• Date Range (e.g., last 30 days)
• Exploit Status (show only exploited vulnerabilities)

Example: Let’s say you’re looking for recent vulnerabilities with high exploitation probability in Apache servers. You can:

1. Search “Apache”
2. Filter: EPSS > 0.5, CVSS > 7.0
3. Sort by publication date

This gives you a prioritized, actionable list.

Step 3: Inspect a Specific Vulnerability Record

Click on any vulnerability ID to open its detailed view.

Key sections include:

• Summary: Short technical description
• Severity: Includes CVSS and EPSS scores
• Exploitation: Whether the vulnerability is known to be exploited in the wild
• Affected Products: Vendor, product name, and version
• Advisory IDs: Official advisories linked to the vuln
• References: Public links, vendor updates, CVE links, etc.

Example: For EUVD-2024-00291, the detailed view shows that it affects multiple versions of a web server product, has an EPSS score of 0.84, and is actively being exploited.

Practical Use Cases

1. Vulnerability Management Teams

If you’re managing patch cycles, the EPSS score + exploitation filter allows you to prioritize vulnerabilities that are both severe and actively targeted.

2. Security Operations Centers (SOC)

SOC teams can integrate EUVD with SIEMs or ticketing systems using the API, to enrich alerts with context about the vulnerability severity and real-world exploitation.

3. Product Security Teams

For software vendors, tracking reports about your own products helps you anticipate public disclosure and respond with advisories or patches in time.

4. Threat Intelligence Analysts

Use EUVD alongside CVE/NVD to cross-reference reports, identify reporting gaps, and build a more complete picture of vulnerability trends in European systems.

Tips for Getting the Most Out of EUVD

• Bookmark frequent searches using custom filter URLs
• Compare CVSS and EPSS for smarter risk scoring
• Use the API for automation and integration into dashboards
• Check publication dates to avoid reacting to old/low-impact vulns
• Cross-check with CVE IDs using the “Alternative ID” field

Limitations to Keep in Mind

• Not all vulnerabilities have CVE IDs (especially new or local disclosures)
• Some data might lag behind global sources like NVD for major U.S. vendors
• The platform is still evolving and may lack vendor advisories for smaller software tools

However, these gaps are being actively addressed, and ENISA has emphasized its commitment to improving data ingestion and cross-system harmonization.

Final Thoughts

The European Vulnerability Database (EUVD) is more than just a copy of the CVE list. It’s a modern, accessible, and highly filterable tool that supports faster, smarter vulnerability management. For North American cybersecurity professionals, integrating EUVD into your toolkit is a strategic move, not only to stay ahead of threats but also to align with global threat intelligence practices.

As the digital threat landscape grows increasingly borderless, so must our approach to vulnerability tracking. The EUVD is one step toward that vision—and it’s one worth taking seriously.

For a broader perspective on how global vulnerability tracking works, you may also want to explore our in-depth guide to the CVE Database, which explains the structure, usage, and evolution of the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures system.

Sources

• ENISA EUVD Official Search Portal: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/search
• ENISA EUVD FAQ: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/faq
• ENISA EUVD API Documentation: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/apidoc
• ENISA EUVD About: https://euvd.enisa.europa.eu/about
• ENISA News Announcement: https://www.enisa.europa.eu/news/consult-the-european-vulnerability-database-to-enhance-your-digital-security
• The Register: EU launches own security bug database
• CSO Online: EU vulnerability database to complement CVE