# Source: https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/blob/main/docs/community/contribute/vulnerability-database/add-vulnerability-source.md

# Add Vulnerability Advisory Source

This guide walks through the process of adding a new vulnerability advisory source to Trivy.

!!! info
    For an overview of how Trivy's vulnerability database works, see the [Overview](overview.md) page.

## Prerequisites

Before starting, ensure you have:

1. Identified the upstream advisory source and its API/format
2. Checked that the data source doesn't already exist in Trivy
3. Created a GitHub discussion or issue to discuss the addition

## Required Changes

To add a new vulnerability advisory source, you'll need to make changes across three repositories. Below we'll use the Echo OS support as an example.

### Step 1: Add Fetcher Script (vuln-list-update)

!!! note
    Skip this step if your advisory source is already managed in a Git repository (e.g., GitHub, GitLab).

Create a fetcher script in [vuln-list-update] to collect advisories from the upstream source.

**Key tasks:**

- Fetch advisories from the upstream API or source
- Validate the advisory format and data
- Save advisories as JSON files in the [vuln-list] directory structure
- **Store original data as-is where possible**: Avoid preprocessing or modifying advisory fields. Save the raw data exactly as provided by the upstream source (format conversion like YAML to JSON is acceptable for consistency)
- Include all necessary metadata (CVE ID, affected versions, severity, etc.)

**Example PR:**

- [feat(echo): Add Echo Support (vuln-list-update#350)](https://github.com/aquasecurity/vuln-list-update/pull/350)

### Step 2: Add Parser (trivy-db)

Create a parser in [trivy-db] to transform raw advisories into Trivy's database format.

**Key tasks:**

- Create a new vulnerability source in `pkg/vulnsrc/`
- Implement the advisory parsing logic
- Map advisory fields to Trivy's vulnerability schema
- Handle version ranges and affected packages correctly
- Store CVE mappings if available
- Add unit tests for the parser

**Example PR:**

- [feat(echo): Add Echo Support (trivy-db#528)](https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy-db/pull/528)

### Step 3: Add OS/Ecosystem Support (Trivy)

Update [trivy] to support the new operating system or package ecosystem.

**Key tasks:**

- Add OS analyzer in `pkg/fanal/analyzer/os/` to detect the OS
- Implement vulnerability detection logic if special handling is needed
- Add integration tests with test data
- Update documentation to include the new data source

**Example PR:**

- [feat(echo): Add Echo Support (trivy#8833)](https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pull/8833)

## Complete Example: Echo OS Support

The Echo OS support was added through three coordinated PRs:

1. **vuln-list-update**: Fetches Echo advisories from `https://advisory.echohq.com/data.json`
    - PR: https://github.com/aquasecurity/vuln-list-update/pull/350
2. **trivy-db**: Parses Echo advisories and stores them in the database
    - PR: https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy-db/pull/528
3. **Trivy**: Detects Echo OS and scans for vulnerabilities
    - PR: https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/pull/8833

## Testing Your Changes

### Test vuln-list-update

First, fetch all existing advisories (required for building the database):

```bash
cd vuln-list-update
go run main.go -vuln-list-dir /path/to/vuln-list
```

Then, test your new data source by fetching only your target:

```bash
go run main.go -target your-source -vuln-list-dir /path/to/vuln-list
```

Verify that advisories are correctly saved in the vuln-list directory.

### Test trivy-db

```bash
cd trivy-db
make db-build CACHE_DIR=/path/to/cache
```

Check that the database is built without errors and contains your advisories.

!!! note
    The `CACHE_DIR` should point to the parent directory of your vuln-list directory. For example, if your vuln-list is at `/tmp/test/vuln-list`, set `CACHE_DIR=/tmp/test`.

You can inspect the built database using BoltDB viewer tools like [boltwiz](https://github.com/Moniseeta/boltwiz):

```bash
# Open the database
boltwiz out/trivy.db
```

This allows you to verify that your vulnerabilities are correctly stored in the database.

### Test Trivy

```bash
# Build Trivy with your changes
mage build

# Use your local database
./trivy image --skip-db-update --cache-dir /path/to/cache your-test-image
```

Verify that vulnerabilities from your new data source are detected correctly.

## Getting Help

If you have questions or need help:

1. Check existing data sources for reference implementations
2. [Start a discussion](https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy/discussions/new) in the Trivy repository

[vuln-list]: https://github.com/aquasecurity/vuln-list
[vuln-list-update]: https://github.com/aquasecurity/vuln-list-update
[trivy-db]: https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy-db
[trivy]: https://github.com/aquasecurity/trivy