4 files changed, 42 insertions, 14 deletions

diff --git a/documentation/dev-manual/new-recipe.rst b/documentation/dev-manual/new-recipe.rst
index 1be04a7657..af390773a9 100644
--- a/documentation/dev-manual/new-recipe.rst
+++ b/documentation/dev-manual/new-recipe.rst
@@ -1253,8 +1253,7 @@ In the following example, ``lz4`` is a makefile-based package::
 
    S = "${WORKDIR}/git"
 
-   # Fixed in r118, which is larger than the current version.
-   CVE_CHECK_IGNORE += "CVE-2014-4715"
+   CVE_STATUS[CVE-2014-4715] = "fixed-version: Fixed in r118, which is larger than the current version"
 
    EXTRA_OEMAKE = "PREFIX=${prefix} CC='${CC}' CFLAGS='${CFLAGS}' DESTDIR=${D} LIBDIR=${libdir} INCLUDEDIR=${includedir} BUILD_STATIC=no"
 
diff --git a/documentation/dev-manual/vulnerabilities.rst b/documentation/dev-manual/vulnerabilities.rst
index 0ee3ec52c5..6d87d02ecb 100644
--- a/documentation/dev-manual/vulnerabilities.rst
+++ b/documentation/dev-manual/vulnerabilities.rst
@@ -130,7 +130,8 @@ Fixing vulnerabilities in recipes
 =================================
 
 If a CVE security issue impacts a software component, it can be fixed by updating to a newer
-version of the software component or by applying a patch. For Poky and OE-Core master branches, updating
+version of the software component, by applying a patch or by marking it as patched via
+:term:`CVE_STATUS` variable flag. For Poky and OE-Core master branches, updating
 to a newer software component release with fixes is the best option, but patches can be applied
 if releases are not yet available.
 
@@ -158,7 +159,8 @@ CVE checker will then capture this information and change the CVE status to ``Pa
 in the generated reports.
 
 If analysis shows that the CVE issue does not impact the recipe due to configuration, platform,
-version or other reasons, the CVE can be marked as ``Ignored`` using the :term:`CVE_CHECK_IGNORE` variable.
+version or other reasons, the CVE can be marked as ``Ignored`` by using
+the :term:`CVE_STATUS` variable flag with appropriate reason which is mapped to ``Ignored``.
 As mentioned previously, if data in the CVE database is wrong, it is recommend to fix those
 issues in the CVE database directly.
 
@@ -175,6 +177,8 @@ is found in the name of the file, the corresponding CVE is considered as patched
 Don't forget that if multiple CVE IDs are found in the filename, only the last
 one is considered. Then, the code looks for ``CVE: CVE-ID`` lines in the patch
 file. The found CVE IDs are also considered as patched.
+Additionally ``CVE_STATUS`` variable flags are parsed for reasons mapped to ``Patched``
+and these are also considered as patched.
 
 Then, the code looks up all the CVE IDs in the NIST database for all the
 products defined in :term:`CVE_PRODUCT`. Then, for each found CVE:
@@ -182,8 +186,9 @@ products defined in :term:`CVE_PRODUCT`. Then, for each found CVE:
 -  If the package name (:term:`PN`) is part of
    :term:`CVE_CHECK_SKIP_RECIPE`, it is considered as ``Patched``.
 
--  If the CVE ID is part of :term:`CVE_CHECK_IGNORE`, it is
-   set as ``Ignored``.
+-  If the CVE ID has status ``CVE_STATUS[<CVE ID>] = "ignored"`` or if it's set to
+   any reason which is mapped to status ``Ignored`` via ``CVE_CHECK_STATUSMAP``,
+   it is  set as ``Ignored``.
 
 -  If the CVE ID is part of the patched CVE for the recipe, it is
    already considered as ``Patched``.
diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/classes.rst b/documentation/ref-manual/classes.rst
index 4577baba3e..a7819d5b60 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/classes.rst
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/classes.rst
@@ -517,10 +517,10 @@ The ``Patched`` state of a CVE issue is detected from patch files with the forma
 ``CVE-ID.patch``, e.g. ``CVE-2019-20633.patch``, in the :term:`SRC_URI` and using
 CVE metadata of format ``CVE: CVE-ID`` in the commit message of the patch file.
 
-If the recipe lists the ``CVE-ID`` in :term:`CVE_CHECK_IGNORE` variable, then the CVE state is reported
-as ``Ignored``. Multiple CVEs can be listed separated by spaces. Example::
+If the recipe adds ``CVE-ID`` as flag of the :term:`CVE_STATUS` variable with status
+mapped to ``Ignored``, then the CVE state is reported as ``Ignored``::
 
-   CVE_CHECK_IGNORE += "CVE-2020-29509 CVE-2020-29511"
+   CVE_STATUS[CVE-2020-15523] = "not-applicable-platform: Issue only applies on Windows"
 
 If CVE check reports that a recipe contains false positives or false negatives, these may be
 fixed in recipes by adjusting the CVE product name using :term:`CVE_PRODUCT` and :term:`CVE_VERSION` variables.
diff --git a/documentation/ref-manual/variables.rst b/documentation/ref-manual/variables.rst
index ac5b97a526..def98de307 100644
--- a/documentation/ref-manual/variables.rst
+++ b/documentation/ref-manual/variables.rst
@@ -1653,11 +1653,7 @@ system and gives an overview of their function and contents.
          and kernel module recipes).
 
    :term:`CVE_CHECK_IGNORE`
-      The list of CVE IDs which are ignored. Here is
-      an example from the :oe_layerindex:`Python3 recipe</layerindex/recipe/23823>`::
-
-         # This is windows only issue.
-         CVE_CHECK_IGNORE += "CVE-2020-15523"
+      This variable is deprecated and should be replaced by :term:`CVE_STATUS`.
 
    :term:`CVE_CHECK_SHOW_WARNINGS`
       Specifies whether or not the :ref:`ref-classes-cve-check`
@@ -1698,6 +1694,34 @@ system and gives an overview of their function and contents.
 
          CVE_PRODUCT = "vendor:package"
 
+   :term:`CVE_STATUS`
+      The CVE ID which is patched or should be ignored. Here is
+      an example from the :oe_layerindex:`Python3 recipe</layerindex/recipe/23823>`::
+
+         CVE_STATUS[CVE-2020-15523] = "not-applicable-platform: Issue only applies on Windows"
+
+      It has the format "reason: description" and the description is optional.
+      The Reason is mapped to the final CVE state by mapping via
+      :term:`CVE_CHECK_STATUSMAP`
+
+   :term:`CVE_STATUS_GROUPS`
+      If there are many CVEs with the same status and reason, they can by simplified by using this
+      variable instead of many similar lines with :term:`CVE_STATUS`::
+
+         CVE_STATUS_GROUPS = "CVE_STATUS_WIN CVE_STATUS_PATCHED"
+
+         CVE_STATUS_WIN = "CVE-1234-0001 CVE-1234-0002"
+         CVE_STATUS_WIN[status] = "not-applicable-platform: Issue only applies on Windows"
+         CVE_STATUS_PATCHED = "CVE-1234-0003 CVE-1234-0004"
+         CVE_STATUS_PATCHED[status] = "fixed-version: Fixed externally"
+
+   :term:`CVE_CHECK_STATUSMAP`
+      Mapping variable for all possible reasons of :term:`CVE_STATUS`:
+      ``Patched``, ``Unpatched`` and ``Ignored``.
+      See :ref:`ref-classes-cve-check` or ``meta/conf/cve-check-map.conf`` for more details::
+
+         CVE_CHECK_STATUSMAP[cpe-incorrect] = "Ignored"
+
    :term:`CVE_VERSION`
       In a recipe, defines the version used to match the recipe version
       against the version in the `NIST CVE database <https://nvd.nist.gov/>`__