<!--The first section "Release notes" is required if you want to have your release post blog MR auto generated. Currently in BETA, details on the **release post item generator** can be found in the handbook: https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/blog/release-posts/#release-post-item-generator and this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfn9ebgTwKg. The next four sections: "Problem to solve", "Intended users", "User experience goal", and "Proposal", are strongly recommended in your first draft, while the rest of the sections can be filled out during the problem validation or breakdown phase. However, keep in mind that providing complete and relevant information early helps our product team validate the problem and start working on a solution.--> # Release notes <!--What is the problem and solution you're proposing? This content sets the overall vision for the feature and serves as the release notes that will populate in various places, including the [release post blog](https://about.gitlab.com/releases/categories/releases/) and [Gitlab project releases](https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/releases). "--> GitLab now supports filtering merge request approval policies based on **Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV)** and **Exploit Prediction Scoring System (EPSS)** scores. These new policy options provide security teams with more granular control over which vulnerabilities trigger approval requirements. #### What's new: * **KEV Filter**: Block merge requests if a vulnerability is marked as a Known Exploited Vulnerability (KEV = true) * **EPSS Score Filter**: Define approval policies based on EPSS scores with configurable thresholds #### Why This Matters KEV and EPSS provide critical context beyond traditional CVSS severity scores: * **KEV** indicates whether a CVE has been actively exploited in the wild, helping teams prioritize real-world threats * **EPSS** predicts the likelihood of exploitation (0-1 scale), enabling more informed risk assessment This allows security teams to: * Reduce alert fatigue by focusing on vulnerabilities with higher exploitation risk * Make more informed decisions about which findings require approval gates * Align policy enforcement with actual threat landscape #### How It Works 1. Configure merge request approval policies with new KEV and EPSS filter options 2. Set policies to block or warn based on: * Whether a vulnerability is in the KEV catalog * EPSS score thresholds (e.g., "block if EPSS \> 0.8") 3. Policy violations include KEV and EPSS data in merge request comments for developer context # Problem to solve <!--What problem do we solve? Try to define the who/what/why of the opportunity as a user story. For example, "As a (who), I want (what), so I can (why/value)."--> Similar to license severity or vulnerability severity filters in policies, by adding an option to define policies based on KEV and EPSS. These new policy options based on results now available in Dependency and Containers scanners will give users more fine-grained control over defining which security findings to block/warn in a merge request or otherwise take action. KEV and EPSS help customers determine if a vulnerability is exploitable and adds more context to findings/vulnerabilities beyond simply CVSS based severity, which may not give enough detail to help prioritize the most potent risks. # :chart_with_upwards_trend: Target Metrics 1. 25% of customers using MR approval policies adopt KEV/EPSS filters within 3 months of GA 1. Why? Value is significant enough to drive adoption. Value is clear to users that new filters will provide a higher signal of risk to developers and allow appsec teams to reduce severity/priority on vulnerabilities with lower risk of exploit. # Intended users <!--Who will use this feature? If known, include any of the following: types of users (e.g. Developer), personas, or specific company roles (e.g. Release Manager). It's okay to write "Unknown" and fill this field in later. Personas are described at https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/product-marketing/roles-personas/ 1. [Parker, Product Manager](/handbook/product/personas/#parker-product-manager) 1. [Delaney, Development Team Lead](/handbook/product/personas/#delaney-development-team-lead) 1. [Presley, Product Designer](/handbook/product/personas/#presley-product-designer) 1. [Sasha, Software Developer](/handbook/product/personas/#sasha-software-developer) 1. [Priyanka, Platform Engineer](/handbook/product/personas/#priyanka-platform-engineer) 2. [Janell, Enablement Advocate](/handbook/product/personas/#janell-enablement-advocate) 1. [Sidney, Systems Administrator](/handbook/product/personas/#sidney-systems-administrator) 1. [Rachel, Release Manager](/handbook/product/personas/#rachel-release-manager) 1. [Simone, Software Engineer in Test](/handbook/product/personas/#simone-software-engineer-in-test) 1. [Allison, Application Ops](/handbook/product/personas/#allison-application-ops) 1. [Ingrid, Infrastructure Operator](/handbook/product/personas/#ingrid-infrastructure-operator) 1. [Dakota, Application Development Director](/handbook/product/personas/#dakota-application-development-director) 1. [Amy, Application Security Engineer](/handbook/product/personas/#amy-application-security-engineer) 1. [Isaac, Infrastructure Security Engineer](/handbook/product/personas/#isaac-infrastructure-security-engineer) 1. [Alex, Security Operations Engineer](/handbook/product/personas/#alex-security-operations-engineer) 1. [Cameron, Compliance Manager](/handbook/product/personas/#cameron-compliance-manager)--> # User experience goal <!--What is the single user experience workflow this problem addresses? For example, "The user should be able to use the UI/API/.gitlab-ci.yml with GitLab to <perform a specific task>" https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/ux/ux-research-training/user-story-mapping/--> # Proposal <!--How are we going to solve the problem? Try to include the user journey! https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/journeys/#user-journey--> {width="722" height="387"} 1. Introduce new options to block if KEV = true. 2. Introduce an option to block/allow depending on EPSS score being greater than a percentage value, or vice versa (less than). # Further details <!--Include use cases, benefits, goals, or any other details that will help us understand the problem better.--> * KEV and EPSS are both stored in the DB and attached to the `vulnerability occurrence` - i.e., a scan result. * KEV will be a `Yes` or `No` indicator essentially because the purpose of KEV is to say whether or not the CVE has actually been exploited in the wild. * KEV will be surfaced post-scan and attached to any vulnerabilities that have been identified by a DS / CS scan. * EPSS is a score between 0 - 1, (1 - high likelihood of being exploited). # Permissions and Security <!--What permissions are required to perform the described actions? Are they consistent with the existing permissions as documented for users, groups, and projects as appropriate? Is the proposed behavior consistent between the UI, API, and other access methods (e.g. email replies)? Consider adding checkboxes and expectations of users with certain levels of membership https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/permissions.html * [ ] Add expected impact to members with no access (0) * [ ] Add expected impact to Guest (10) members * [ ] Add expected impact to Reporter (20) members * [ ] Add expected impact to Developer (30) members * [ ] Add expected impact to Maintainer (40) members * [ ] Add expected impact to Owner (50) members Please consider performing a threat model for the code changes that are introduced as part of this feature. To get started, refer to our Threat Modeling handbook page https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/security/threat_modeling/#threat-modeling. Don't hesitate to reach out to the Application Security Team (`@gitlab-com/gl-security/appsec`) to discuss any security concerns.--> # Documentation <!--See the Feature Change Documentation Workflow https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/development/documentation/workflow.html#for-a-product-change * Add all known Documentation Requirements in this section. See https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/development/documentation/workflow.html * If this feature requires changing permissions, update the permissions document. See https://docs.gitlab.com/ee/user/permissions.html--> # Availability & Testing <!--This section needs to be retained and filled in during the workflow planning breakdown phase of this feature proposal, if not earlier. What risks does this change pose to our availability? How might it affect the quality of the product? What additional test coverage or changes to tests will be needed? Will it require cross-browser testing? Please list the test areas (unit, integration and end-to-end) that needs to be added or updated to ensure that this feature will work as intended. Please use the list below as guidance. * Unit test changes * Integration test changes * End-to-end test change See the Quality Engineering quad planning and test planning processes and reach out to your counterpart Software Engineer in Test for assistance. Quad Planning: https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/quality/quality-engineering/quad-planning Test Planning: https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/engineering/quality/quality-engineering/test-engineering/#test-planning--> # Available Tier <!--This section should be used for setting the appropriate tier that this feature will belong to. Pricing can be found here: https://about.gitlab.com/pricing/ * Free * Premium/Silver * Ultimate/Gold--> # Feature Usage Metrics <!--How are you going to track usage of this feature? Think about user behavior and their interaction with the product. What indicates someone is getting value from it? Create tracking issue using the Snowplow event tracking template. See https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/issue_templates/Snowplow%20event%20tracking.md--> # What does success look like, and how can we measure that? <!--Define both the success metrics and acceptance criteria. Note that success metrics indicate the desired business outcomes, while acceptance criteria indicate when the solution is working correctly. If there is no way to measure success, link to an issue that will implement a way to measure this. Create tracking issue using the Snowplow event tracking template. See https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/blob/master/.gitlab/issue_templates/Snowplow%20event%20tracking.md--> # What is the type of buyer? <!--What is the buyer persona for this feature? See https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/marketing/product-marketing/roles-personas/buyer-persona/ In which enterprise tier should this feature go? See https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/pricing/#three-tiers--> # Is this a cross-stage feature? <!--Communicate if this change will affect multiple Stage Groups or product areas. We recommend always start with the assumption that a feature request will have an impact into another Group. Loop in the most relevant PM and Product Designer from that Group to provide strategic support to help align the Group's broader plan and vision, as well as to avoid UX and technical debt. https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/#cross-stage-features--> # What is the competitive advantage or differentiation for this feature? # Links / references <!--Label reminders - you should have one of each of the following labels. Use the following resources to find the appropriate labels: - Use only one tier label choosing the lowest tier this is intended for - https://gitlab.com/gitlab-org/gitlab/-/labels - https://about.gitlab.com/handbook/product/categories/features/--> <!--triage-serverless v3 PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THIS SECTION--> _This page may contain information related to upcoming products, features and functionality. It is important to note that the information presented is for informational purposes only, so please do not rely on the information for purchasing or planning purposes. Just like with all projects, the items mentioned on the page are subject to change or delay, and the development, release, and timing of any products, features, or functionality remain at the sole discretion of GitLab Inc._ <!--triage-serverless v3 PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THIS SECTION-->