cve-report: add scripts to generate CVE reports

cvert-foss - generate CVE report for the list of packages.
  Analyze the whole image manifest to align with the complex
  CPE configurations.

cvert-update - update NVD feeds and store CVE structues dump.
  CVE dump is a pickled representation of the cve_struct dictionary.

cvert.py - python library used by cvert-* scripts.
  NVD JSON Vulnerability Feeds https://nvd.nist.gov/vuln/data-feeds#JSON_FEED

Usage examples:

  o Download CVE feeds to "nvdfeed" directory
    % cvert-update nvdfeed
  o Update CVE feeds and store a dump in a file
    % cvert-update --store cvedump nvdfeed
  o Generate a CVE report
    % cvert-foss --feed-dir nvdfeed --output report-foss.txt cve-manifest
  o (faster) Use dump file to generate a CVE report
    % cvert-foss --restore cvedump --output report-foss.txt cve-manifest
  o Generate a full report
    % cvert-foss --restore cvedump --show-description --show-reference \
                 --output report-foss-full.txt cve-manifest

Manifest example:

  bash,4.2,CVE-2014-7187
  python,2.7.35,
  python,3.5.5,CVE-2017-17522 CVE-2018-1061

Report example:

    patched |  7.5 | CVE-2018-1061      | python | 3.5.5
    patched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-7187      | bash | 4.2
    patched |  8.8 | CVE-2017-17522     | python | 3.5.5
  unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-6271      | bash | 4.2
  unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-6277      | bash | 4.2
  unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-6278      | bash | 4.2
  unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-7169      | bash | 4.2
  unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-7186      | bash | 4.2
  unpatched |  4.6 | CVE-2012-3410      | bash | 4.2
  unpatched |  8.4 | CVE-2016-7543      | bash | 4.2
  unpatched |  5.0 | CVE-2010-3492      | python | 2.7.35
  unpatched |  5.3 | CVE-2016-1494      | python | 2.7.35
  unpatched |  6.5 | CVE-2017-18207     | python | 3.5.5
  unpatched |  6.5 | CVE-2017-18207     | python | 2.7.35
  unpatched |  7.1 | CVE-2013-7338      | python | 2.7.35
  unpatched |  7.5 | CVE-2018-1060      | python | 3.5.5
  unpatched |  8.8 | CVE-2017-17522     | python | 2.7.35

Signed-off-by: grygorii tertychnyi <gtertych@cisco.com>
Signed-off-by: Armin Kuster <akuster808@gmail.com>

3 files changed, 703 insertions, 0 deletions

diff --git a/scripts/cvert-foss b/scripts/cvert-foss
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..00fbf2c068
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/cvert-foss
@@ -0,0 +1,151 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2018 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+# published by the Free Software Foundation.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+# with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+# 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+#
+
+""" Generate CVE report for the given CVE manifest
+"""
+
+import sys
+import textwrap
+import argparse
+import logging
+import logging.config
+import cvert
+
+def report_foss():
+    """Generate CVE report"""
+
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
+        description=textwrap.dedent("""
+        Generate CVE report for the given CVE manifest.
+        """),
+        epilog=textwrap.dedent("""
+        @ run examples:
+
+        # Download (update) NVD feeds in "nvdfeed" directory
+        # and prepare the report for the "cve-manifest" file
+        %% %(prog)s --feed-dir nvdfeed --output report-foss.txt cve-manifest
+
+        # Use existed NVD feeds in "nvdfeed" directory
+        # and prepare the report for the "cve-manifest" file
+        %% %(prog)s --offline --feed-dir nvdfeed --output report-foss.txt cve-manifest
+
+        # (faster) Restore CVE dump from "cvedump" (must exist)
+        # and prepare the report for the "cve-manifest" file
+        %% %(prog)s --restore cvedump --output report-foss.txt cve-manifest
+
+        # Restore CVE dump from "cvedump" (must exist)
+        # and prepare the extended report for the "cve-manifest" file
+        %% %(prog)s --restore cvedump --show-description --show-reference --output report-foss.txt cve-manifest
+
+        @ manifest example:
+
+        bash,4.2,CVE-2014-7187
+        python,2.7.35,
+        python,3.5.5,CVE-2017-17522 CVE-2018-1061
+
+        @ report example output:
+
+        . patched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-7187      | bash | 4.2
+        . patched |  7.5 | CVE-2018-1061      | python | 3.5.5
+        . patched |  8.8 | CVE-2017-17522     | python | 3.5.5
+        unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-6271      | bash | 4.2
+        unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-6277      | bash | 4.2
+        unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-6278      | bash | 4.2
+        unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-7169      | bash | 4.2
+        unpatched | 10.0 | CVE-2014-7186      | bash | 4.2
+        unpatched |  4.6 | CVE-2012-3410      | bash | 4.2
+        unpatched |  8.4 | CVE-2016-7543      | bash | 4.2
+        unpatched |  5.0 | CVE-2010-3492      | python | 2.7.35
+        unpatched |  5.3 | CVE-2016-1494      | python | 2.7.35
+        unpatched |  6.5 | CVE-2017-18207     | python | 3.5.5
+        unpatched |  6.5 | CVE-2017-18207     | python | 2.7.35
+        unpatched |  7.1 | CVE-2013-7338      | python | 2.7.35
+        unpatched |  7.5 | CVE-2018-1060      | python | 3.5.5
+        unpatched |  8.8 | CVE-2017-17522     | python | 2.7.35
+        """))
+
+    group = parser.add_mutually_exclusive_group(required=True)
+    group.add_argument("-f", "--feed-dir", help="feeds directory")
+    group.add_argument("-d", "--restore", help="load CVE data structures from file",
+                       metavar="FILENAME")
+    parser.add_argument("--offline", help="do not update from NVD site",
+                        action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("-o", "--output", help="save report to the file")
+    parser.add_argument("--show-description", help='show "Description" in the report',
+                        action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--show-reference", help='show "Reference" in the report',
+                        action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--debug", help="print debug messages",
+                        action="store_true")
+
+    parser.add_argument("cve_manifest", help="file with a list of packages, "
+                        "each line contains three comma separated values: name, "
+                        "version and a space separated list of patched CVEs, "
+                        "e.g.: python,3.5.5,CVE-2017-17522 CVE-2018-1061",
+                        metavar="cve-manifest")
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    logging.config.dictConfig(cvert.logconfig(args.debug))
+
+    cve_manifest = {}
+
+    with open(args.cve_manifest, "r") as fil:
+        for lin in fil:
+            lin = lin.rstrip()
+
+            # skip empty lines
+            if not lin:
+                continue
+
+            product, version, patched = lin.split(",", maxsplit=3)
+
+            if product in cve_manifest:
+                cve_manifest[product][version] = patched.split()
+            else:
+                cve_manifest[product] = {
+                    version: patched.split()
+                }
+
+    if args.restore:
+        cve_struct = cvert.load_cve(args.restore)
+    elif args.feed_dir:
+        cve_struct = cvert.update_feeds(args.feed_dir, args.offline)
+
+    if not cve_struct and args.offline:
+        parser.error("No CVEs found. Try to turn off offline mode or use other file to restore.")
+
+    if args.output:
+        output = open(args.output, "w")
+    else:
+        output = sys.stdout
+
+    report = cvert.generate_report(cve_manifest, cve_struct)
+
+    cvert.print_report(report,
+                       show_description=args.show_description,
+                       show_reference=args.show_reference,
+                       output=output)
+
+    if args.output:
+        output.close()
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    report_foss()
diff --git a/scripts/cvert-update b/scripts/cvert-update
new file mode 100755
index 0000000000..3b3f5572a8
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/cvert-update
@@ -0,0 +1,79 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2018 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+# published by the Free Software Foundation.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+# with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+# 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+#
+
+""" Update NVD feeds and store CVE blob locally
+"""
+
+
+import textwrap
+import argparse
+import logging
+import logging.config
+import cvert
+
+
+def update_cvert():
+    """Update CVE storage"""
+
+    parser = argparse.ArgumentParser(
+        formatter_class=argparse.RawDescriptionHelpFormatter,
+        description=textwrap.dedent("""
+        Update NVD feeds and store CVE blob locally.
+        """),
+        epilog=textwrap.dedent("""
+        examples:
+
+        # Download NVD feeds to  "nvdfeed" directory.
+        # If there are meta files in the directory, they will be updated
+        # and only fresh archives will be downloaded
+        %% %(prog)s nvdfeed
+
+        # Inspect NVD feeds in "nvdfeed" directory
+        # and prepare a CVE dump python blob "cvedump".
+        # Use it later as input for cvert-* scripts (for speeding up)
+        %% %(prog)s --offline --store cvedump nvdfeed
+
+        # Download (update) NVD feeds and prepare the CVE dump
+        %% %(prog)s --store cvedump nvdfeed
+        """))
+
+    parser.add_argument("-d", "--store", help="save CVE data structures in file",
+                        metavar="FILENAME")
+    parser.add_argument("--offline", help="do not update from NVD site",
+                        action="store_true")
+    parser.add_argument("--debug", help="print debug messages",
+                        action="store_true")
+
+    parser.add_argument("feed_dir", help="feeds directory",
+                        metavar="feed-dir")
+
+    args = parser.parse_args()
+
+    logging.config.dictConfig(cvert.logconfig(args.debug))
+
+    cve_struct = cvert.update_feeds(args.feed_dir, args.offline)
+
+    if not cve_struct and args.offline:
+        parser.error("No CVEs found in {0}. Try turn off offline mode.".format(args.feed_dir))
+
+    if args.store:
+        cvert.save_cve(args.store, cve_struct)
+
+
+if __name__ == "__main__":
+    update_cvert()
diff --git a/scripts/cvert.py b/scripts/cvert.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000000..f93b95c849
--- /dev/null
+++ b/scripts/cvert.py
@@ -0,0 +1,473 @@
+#!/usr/bin/env python3
+#
+# Copyright (c) 2018 by Cisco Systems, Inc.
+#
+# This program is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify
+# it under the terms of the GNU General Public License version 2 as
+# published by the Free Software Foundation.
+#
+# This program is distributed in the hope that it will be useful,
+# but WITHOUT ANY WARRANTY; without even the implied warranty of
+# MERCHANTABILITY or FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE.  See the
+# GNU General Public License for more details.
+#
+# You should have received a copy of the GNU General Public License along
+# with this program; if not, write to the Free Software Foundation, Inc.,
+# 51 Franklin Street, Fifth Floor, Boston, MA 02110-1301 USA.
+#
+
+""" CVERT library: set of functions for CVE reports
+"""
+
+
+import os
+import re
+import sys
+import json
+import gzip
+import pickle
+import logging
+import hashlib
+import datetime
+import textwrap
+import urllib.request
+import distutils.version
+
+
+logging.getLogger(__name__).addHandler(logging.NullHandler())
+
+
+def generate_report(manifest, cve_struct):
+    """Generate CVE report"""
+
+    report = []
+
+    for cve in cve_struct:
+        affected = set()
+
+        for conf in cve_struct[cve]["nodes"]:
+            affected = affected.union(process_configuration(manifest, conf))
+
+        for key in affected:
+            product, version = key.split(",")
+            patched = manifest[product][version]
+
+            if cve in patched:
+                cve_item = {"status": "patched"}
+            else:
+                cve_item = {"status": "unpatched"}
+
+            cve_item["CVSS"] = "{0:.1f}".format(cve_struct[cve]["score"])
+            cve_item["CVE"] = cve
+            cve_item["product"] = product
+            cve_item["version"] = version
+            cve_item["description"] = cve_struct[cve]["description"]
+            cve_item["reference"] = [x["url"] for x in cve_struct[cve]["reference"]]
+
+            logging.debug("%9s %s %s,%s",
+                          cve_item["status"], cve_item["CVE"],
+                          cve_item["product"], cve_item["version"])
+
+            report.append(cve_item)
+
+    return sorted(report, key=lambda x: (x["status"], x["product"], x["CVSS"], x["CVE"]))
+
+
+def process_configuration(manifest, conf):
+    """Recursive call to process all CVE configurations"""
+
+    operator = conf["operator"]
+
+    if operator not in ["OR", "AND"]:
+        raise ValueError("operator {} is not supported".format(operator))
+
+    operator = True if operator == "AND" else False
+    match = False
+    affected = set()
+
+    if "cpe" in conf:
+        match = process_cpe(manifest, conf["cpe"][0], affected)
+
+        for cpe in conf["cpe"][1:]:
+            package_match = process_cpe(manifest, cpe, affected)
+
+            # match = match <operator> package_match
+            match = operator ^ ((operator ^ match) or (operator ^ package_match))
+    elif "children" in conf:
+        product_set = process_configuration(manifest, conf["children"][0])
+
+        if product_set:
+            match = True
+            affected = affected.union(product_set)
+
+        for child in conf["children"][1:]:
+            product_set = process_configuration(manifest, child)
+            package_match = True if product_set else False
+
+            # match = match OP package_match
+            match = operator ^ ((operator ^ match) or (operator ^ package_match))
+
+            if package_match:
+                affected = affected.union(product_set)
+
+    if match:
+        return affected
+
+    return ()
+
+
+def process_cpe(manifest, cpe, affected):
+    """Match CPE with all manifest packages"""
+
+    if not cpe["vulnerable"]:
+        # ignore non vulnerable part
+        return False
+
+    version_range = {}
+
+    for flag in ["versionStartIncluding",
+                 "versionStartExcluding",
+                 "versionEndIncluding",
+                 "versionEndExcluding"]:
+        if flag in cpe:
+            version_range[flag] = cpe[flag]
+
+    # take only "product" and "version"
+    product, version = cpe["cpe23Uri"].split(":")[4:6]
+
+    if product not in manifest:
+        return False
+
+    if not version_range:
+        if version == "*":
+            # ignore CVEs that touches all versions of package,
+            # can not fix it anyway
+            logging.debug('ignore "*" in %s', cpe["cpe23Uri"])
+            return False
+        elif version == "-":
+            # "-" means NA
+            #
+            # NA (i.e. "not applicable/not used"). The logical value NA
+            # SHOULD be assigned when there is no legal or meaningful
+            # value for that attribute, or when that attribute is not
+            # used as part of the description.
+            # This includes the situation in which an attribute has
+            # an obtainable value that is null
+            #
+            # Ignores CVEs if version is not set
+            logging.debug('ignore "-" in %s', cpe["cpe23Uri"])
+            return False
+        else:
+            version_range["versionExactMatch"] = version
+
+    result = False
+
+    for version in manifest[product]:
+        try:
+            if match_version(version,
+                             version_range):
+                logging.debug("match %s %s: %s", product, version, cpe["cpe23Uri"])
+                affected.add("{},{}".format(product, version))
+
+                result = True
+        except TypeError:
+            # version comparison is a very tricky
+            # sometimes provider changes product version in a strange manner
+            # and the above comparison just failed
+            # so here we try to make version string "more standard"
+
+            if match_version(twik_version(version),
+                             [twik_version(v) for v in version_range]):
+                logging.debug("match %s %s (twiked): %s", product, twik_version(version),
+                              cpe["cpe23Uri"])
+                affected.add("{},{}".format(product, version))
+
+                result = True
+
+    return result
+
+
+def match_version(version, vrange):
+    """Match version with the version range"""
+
+    result = False
+    version = util_version(version)
+
+    if "versionExactMatch" in vrange:
+        if version == util_version(vrange["versionExactMatch"]):
+            result = True
+    else:
+        result = True
+
+        if "versionStartIncluding" in vrange:
+            result = result and version >= util_version(vrange["versionStartIncluding"])
+
+        if "versionStartExcluding" in vrange:
+            result = result and version > util_version(vrange["versionStartExcluding"])
+
+        if "versionEndIncluding" in vrange:
+            result = result and version <= util_version(vrange["versionEndIncluding"])
+
+        if "versionEndExcluding" in vrange:
+            result = result and version < util_version(vrange["versionEndExcluding"])
+
+    return result
+
+
+def util_version(version):
+    """Simplify package version"""
+    return distutils.version.LooseVersion(version.split("+git")[0])
+
+
+def twik_version(version):
+    """Return "standard" version for complex cases"""
+    return "v1" + re.sub(r"^[a-zA-Z]+", "", version)
+
+
+def print_report(report, width=70, show_description=False, show_reference=False, output=sys.stdout):
+    """Print out final report"""
+
+    for cve in report:
+        print("{0:>9s} | {1:>4s} | {2:18s} | {3} | {4}".format(cve["status"], cve["CVSS"],
+                                                               cve["CVE"], cve["product"],
+                                                               cve["version"]),
+              file=output)
+
+        if show_description:
+            print("{0:>9s} + {1}".format(" ", "Description"), file=output)
+
+            for lin in textwrap.wrap(cve["description"], width=width):
+                print("{0:>9s}   {1}".format(" ", lin), file=output)
+
+        if show_reference:
+            print("{0:>9s} + {1}".format(" ", "Reference"), file=output)
+
+            for url in cve["reference"]:
+                print("{0:>9s}   {1}".format(" ", url), file=output)
+
+
+def update_feeds(feed_dir, offline=False, start=2002):
+    """Update all JSON feeds"""
+
+    feed_dir = os.path.realpath(feed_dir)
+    year_now = datetime.datetime.now().year
+    cve_struct = {}
+
+    for year in range(start, year_now + 1):
+        update_year(cve_struct, year, feed_dir, offline)
+
+    return cve_struct
+
+
+def update_year(cve_struct, year, feed_dir, offline):
+    """Update one JSON feed for the particular year"""
+
+    url_prefix = "https://static.nvd.nist.gov/feeds/json/cve/1.0"
+    file_prefix = "nvdcve-1.0-{0}".format(year)
+
+    meta = {
+        "url": "{0}/{1}.meta".format(url_prefix, file_prefix),
+        "file": os.path.join(feed_dir, "{0}.meta".format(file_prefix))
+    }
+
+    feed = {
+        "url": "{0}/{1}.json.gz".format(url_prefix, file_prefix),
+        "file": os.path.join(feed_dir, "{0}.json.gz".format(file_prefix))
+    }
+
+    ctx = {}
+
+    if not offline:
+        ctx = download_feed(meta, feed)
+
+        if not "meta" in ctx or not "feed" in ctx:
+            return
+
+    if not os.path.isfile(meta["file"]):
+        return
+
+    if not os.path.isfile(feed["file"]):
+        return
+
+    if not "meta" in ctx:
+        ctx["meta"] = ctx_meta(meta["file"])
+
+    if not "sha256" in ctx["meta"]:
+        return
+
+    if not "feed" in ctx:
+        ctx["feed"] = ctx_gzip(feed["file"], ctx["meta"]["sha256"])
+
+    if not ctx["feed"]:
+        return
+
+    logging.debug("parsing year %s", year)
+
+    for cve_item in ctx["feed"]["CVE_Items"]:
+        iden, cve = parse_item(cve_item)
+
+        if not iden:
+            continue
+
+        if not cve:
+            logging.error("%s parse error", iden)
+            break
+
+        if iden in cve_struct:
+            logging.error("%s duplicated", iden)
+            break
+
+        cve_struct[iden] = cve
+
+    logging.debug("cve records: %d", len(cve_struct))
+
+
+def ctx_meta(filename):
+    """Parse feed meta file"""
+
+    if not os.path.isfile(filename):
+        return {}
+
+    ctx = {}
+
+    with open(filename) as fil:
+        for lin in fil:
+            pair = lin.split(":", maxsplit=1)
+            ctx[pair[0]] = pair[1].rstrip()
+
+    return ctx
+
+
+def ctx_gzip(filename, checksum=""):
+    """Parse feed archive file"""
+
+    if not os.path.isfile(filename):
+        return {}
+
+    with gzip.open(filename) as fil:
+        try:
+            ctx = fil.read()
+        except (EOFError, OSError):
+            logging.error("failed to process gz archive %s", filename, exc_info=True)
+            return {}
+
+    if checksum and checksum.upper() != hashlib.sha256(ctx).hexdigest().upper():
+        return {}
+
+    return json.loads(ctx.decode())
+
+
+def parse_item(cve_item):
+    """Parse one JSON CVE entry"""
+
+    cve_id = cve_item["cve"]["CVE_data_meta"]["ID"][:]
+    impact = cve_item["impact"]
+
+    if not impact:
+        # REJECTed CVE
+        return None, None
+
+    if "baseMetricV3" in impact:
+        score = impact["baseMetricV3"]["cvssV3"]["baseScore"]
+    elif "baseMetricV2" in impact:
+        score = impact["baseMetricV2"]["cvssV2"]["baseScore"]
+    else:
+        return cve_id, None
+
+    return cve_id, {
+        "score": score,
+        "nodes": cve_item["configurations"]["nodes"][:],
+        "reference": cve_item["cve"]["references"]["reference_data"][:],
+        "description": cve_item["cve"]["description"]["description_data"][0]["value"]
+    }
+
+
+def download_feed(meta, feed):
+    """Download and parse feed"""
+
+    ctx = {}
+
+    if not retrieve_url(meta["url"], meta["file"]):
+        return {}
+
+    ctx["meta"] = ctx_meta(meta["file"])
+
+    if not "sha256" in ctx["meta"]:
+        return {}
+
+    ctx["feed"] = ctx_gzip(feed["file"], ctx["meta"]["sha256"])
+
+    if not ctx["feed"]:
+        if not retrieve_url(feed["url"], feed["file"]):
+            return {}
+
+        ctx["feed"] = ctx_gzip(feed["file"], ctx["meta"]["sha256"])
+
+    return ctx
+
+
+def retrieve_url(url, filename=None):
+    """Download file by URL"""
+
+    if filename:
+        os.makedirs(os.path.dirname(filename), exist_ok=True)
+
+    logging.debug("downloading %s", url)
+
+    try:
+        urllib.request.urlretrieve(url, filename=filename)
+    except urllib.error.HTTPError:
+        logging.error("failed to download URL %s", url, exc_info=True)
+        return False
+
+    return True
+
+
+def logconfig(debug_flag=False):
+    """Return default log config"""
+
+    return {
+        "version": 1,
+        "formatters": {
+            "f": {
+                "format": "# %(asctime)s %% CVERT %% %(levelname)-8s %% %(message)s"
+            }
+        },
+        "handlers": {
+            "h": {
+                "class": "logging.StreamHandler",
+                "formatter": "f",
+                "level": logging.DEBUG if debug_flag else logging.INFO
+            }
+        },
+        "root": {
+            "handlers": ["h"],
+            "level": logging.DEBUG if debug_flag else logging.INFO
+        },
+    }
+
+
+def save_cve(filename, cve_struct):
+    """Save CVE structure in the file"""
+
+    filename = os.path.realpath(filename)
+
+    logging.debug("saving %d CVE records to %s", len(cve_struct), filename)
+
+    with open(filename, "wb") as fil:
+        pickle.dump(cve_struct, fil)
+
+
+def load_cve(filename):
+    """Load CVE structure from the file"""
+
+    filename = os.path.realpath(filename)
+
+    logging.debug("loading from %s", filename)
+
+    with open(filename, "rb") as fil:
+        cve_struct = pickle.load(fil)
+
+    logging.debug("cve records: %d", len(cve_struct))
+
+    return cve_struct