By Vijendra Katiyar, Co-Founder and CRO, CleanStart
The reliability of modern business rests on a digital infrastructure that few organisations build alone. Most depend on open-source libraries, vendor images, and shared components that often carry a long history of flaws. When these cracks are exposed, attackers move fast. In 2021, Log4Shell showed how a single library bug could ripple across thousands of applications. In early 2025, SAP NetWeaver’s Visual Composer (CVE-2025-31324) was exploited in the wild, letting attackers plant webshells and disrupt enterprise systems. Each known vulnerability is a door left ajar, risking compromised banking apps, stalled healthcare systems, or corporate reputations. These high-profile breaches highlight a simple truth, i.e., known flaws are the easiest entry points. The idea of releasing software with zero known vulnerabilities challenges this fragile status quo and introduces a new foundation of trust.
Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, or CVEs, are identifiers for known flaws in software that attackers often exploit. One can think of them as entries in a public catalog that lists software weaknesses, so everyone knows where the cracks are. In 2024, over 40,000 CVEs were published worldwide, representing a 38% increase over the 28,818 CVEs reported earlier. Each year, the number of CVEs continues to rise. As a result, companies face constant scanning, triage, and patching of their systems. This reactive approach can overwhelm security teams and reduce the time they have to address strategic risks. A reliance on after-the-fact updates creates a weak link across supply chains that depend on consistent and reliable software components.
The Value of Zero CVEs at Release
Zero CVE software refers to systems or container images released with no known vulnerabilities. This does not guarantee immunity from future flaws, yet it immediately removes the most obvious points of entry for attackers. Organisations benefit from fewer emergency updates, clearer compliance reporting, and stronger trust with customers and partners. The prospect of deploying applications on foundations that have no known weaknesses at the time of release represents a significant step toward resilience. It enables companies to invest resources in development and growth rather than repeatedly addressing preventable security incidents.
Secure by Default in Practice
Secure by default means that protective measures are embedded in the very foundation of software rather than applied later. In practice, this often includes the use of minimal base images that remove unnecessary packages, hardened builds that incorporate compiler protections, and continuous monitoring that ensures vulnerabilities are addressed promptly. For clarity, a minimal base image can be compared to building a house without spare doors or windows. With fewer openings, there are fewer chances for an intruder to get inside. It also involves the use of software bills of materials and digital signatures that give organisations visibility into the components they are running and assurance about their integrity. This approach reduces the attack surface and provides security teams with a stronger baseline from which to work.
Industry Direction and Adoption
While the idea of eliminating vulnerabilities at release is ambitious, there are signs that industry interest in secure-by-default practices is growing. Regulatory requirements, customer expectations, and the rising costs of responding to supply chain attacks are all influencing decision makers. Hardened container images, reproducible builds, and provenance attestation are gaining traction among enterprises that require both compliance and confidence. Analysts note that adoption rates for these practices remain modest but are expected to rise as organisations experience the financial and operational benefits.
Conclusion
Zero CVE or near-zero CVE software and secure by default practices represent a disciplined way to address vulnerabilities before they reach production. While unknown flaws will continue to exist, the removal of known weaknesses significantly reduces exposure and builds trust in digital operations. Organisations that move toward these practices position themselves to limit risk and reduce the operational strain of constant patching. The lesson is clear. When attackers weaponise known vulnerabilities, the fallout can be global. Secure by default offers a way to cut off those opportunities at the source. Secure by default offers a way to cut off those opportunities at the source. What was once seen as ambitious is now a practical requirement for resilience in a world where software underpins every critical service.
The stronger these practices become at the enterprise level, the safer the everyday digital services people rely on will be, from online payments to telemedicine and even entertainment streaming.