Which of the following options is NOT a characteristic of a CVE?

The correct choice highlights an important aspect of Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) entries. Each CVE is identified by a unique ID, which facilitates the referencing and tracking of vulnerabilities across various databases and security tools. This unique identifier allows security professionals and organizations to quickly locate the specific vulnerability they are addressing.

Furthermore, each CVE entry typically includes a description that outlines the nature of the vulnerability, explaining how it can be exploited and what systems or software it affects. The date of publication is also a standard inclusion, which provides context for the timeframe in which the vulnerability was recognized and made public.

While mitigation steps can be crucial for addressing vulnerabilities, they are not part of the official CVE record. This distinction is critical because CVEs focus primarily on the identification and description of vulnerabilities rather than providing specific remedies. Mitigation strategies are often detailed in different security advisories or reports issued by vendors or security organizations, but they do not constitute a characteristic of the CVE system itself.