refactor: use XDG_CACHE_HOME for default cache directory

Update the tool to determine the default cache directory using the
XDG_CACHE_HOME environment variable, falling back to ~/.cache if
unset. This brings the tool in line with the XDG Base Directory
Specification.

Move cache-related default values into a new
`database_defaults.py` module to centralize configuration and improve
code maintainability.

Add a test to verify environment-sensitive cache directory behavior.
Update the MANUAL to document the new cache path logic.

These changes improve compatibility with diverse environments and
promote cleaner filesystem usage.

Signed-off-by: Rafal Ilnicki <[email protected]>

Author: rilnicki

cve_bin_tool/available_fix/debian_cve_tracker.py

@@ -4,18 +4,16 @@
 from __future__ import annotations
 
 from json import dump, load
-from pathlib import Path
 from time import time
 
 from cve_bin_tool.cve_scanner import CVEData
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER
 from cve_bin_tool.output_engine.util import ProductInfo, format_output
 from cve_bin_tool.util import make_http_requests
 
 JSON_URL = "https://security-tracker.debian.org/tracker/data/json"
-DEB_CVE_JSON_PATH = (
-    Path("~").expanduser() / ".cache" / "cve-bin-tool" / "debian_cve_data.json"
-)
+DEB_CVE_JSON_PATH = DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT / "debian_cve_data.json"
 
 UBUNTU_DEBIAN_MAP = {
     "hirsute": "bullseye",

cve_bin_tool/cli.py

@@ -42,7 +42,7 @@
 from cve_bin_tool.config import ConfigParser
 from cve_bin_tool.config_generator import config_generator
 from cve_bin_tool.cve_scanner import CVEScanner
-from cve_bin_tool.cvedb import CVEDB, OLD_CACHE_DIR
+from cve_bin_tool.cvedb import CVEDB
 from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import (
     DataSourceSupport,
     curl_source,
@@ -53,6 +53,7 @@
     purl2cpe_source,
     redhat_source,
 )
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import OLD_CACHE_DIR
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import (
     ERROR_CODES,
     CVEDataMissing,

cve_bin_tool/cve_scanner.py

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 from rich.console import Console
 
-from cve_bin_tool.cvedb import DBNAME, DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DBNAME, DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ErrorMode
 from cve_bin_tool.input_engine import TriageData
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER

cve_bin_tool/cvedb.py

@@ -31,6 +31,12 @@
     osv_source,
     purl2cpe_source,
 )
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import (
+    DBNAME,
+    DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP,
+    DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT,
+    OLD_CACHE_DIR,
+)
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ERROR_CODES, CVEDBError, ErrorMode, SigningError
 from cve_bin_tool.fetch_json_db import Fetch_JSON_DB
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER
@@ -39,12 +45,6 @@
 
 logging.basicConfig(level=logging.DEBUG)
 
-# database defaults
-DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT = Path("~").expanduser() / ".cache" / "cve-bin-tool"
-DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP = Path("~").expanduser() / ".cache" / "cve-bin-tool-backup"
-DBNAME = "cve.db"
-OLD_CACHE_DIR = Path("~") / ".cache" / "cvedb"
-
 UNKNOWN_METRIC_ID = 0
 EPSS_METRIC_ID = 1
 CVSS_2_METRIC_ID = 2

cve_bin_tool/data_sources/__init__.py

@@ -5,22 +5,12 @@
 
 import sys
 from abc import ABC, abstractmethod
-from pathlib import Path
 
 if sys.version_info >= (3, 9):
     import importlib.resources as resources
 else:
     import importlib_resources as resources
 
-USER_HOME = Path("~")
-
-# database defaults
-DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT = str(USER_HOME.expanduser() / ".cache" / "cve-bin-tool")
-DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP = str(USER_HOME.expanduser() / ".cache" / "cve-bin-tool-backup")
-DBNAME = "cve.db"
-OLD_CACHE_DIR = str(USER_HOME.expanduser() / ".cache" / "cvedb")
-NVD_FILENAME_TEMPLATE = "nvdcve-1.1-{}.json.gz"
-
 
 class Data_Source(ABC):
     @abstractmethod

cve_bin_tool/data_sources/curl_source.py

@@ -10,10 +10,10 @@
 import aiohttp
 
 from cve_bin_tool.async_utils import FileIO, RateLimiter
-from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import (
+from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import (
     DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP,
     DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT,
-    Data_Source,
 )
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ErrorMode
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER

cve_bin_tool/data_sources/epss_source.py

@@ -13,7 +13,7 @@
 
 import aiohttp
 
-from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP, DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP, DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ErrorMode
 from cve_bin_tool.version import HTTP_HEADERS
 

cve_bin_tool/data_sources/gad_source.py

@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 from yaml.loader import SafeLoader
 
 from cve_bin_tool.async_utils import FileIO, RateLimiter
-from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT, Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ErrorMode
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER
 from cve_bin_tool.version import HTTP_HEADERS

cve_bin_tool/data_sources/nvd_source.py

@@ -18,12 +18,12 @@
 from rich.progress import track
 
 from cve_bin_tool.async_utils import FileIO, GzipFile, RateLimiter
-from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import (
+from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import (
     DBNAME,
     DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP,
     DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT,
     NVD_FILENAME_TEMPLATE,
-    Data_Source,
 )
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import (
     AttemptedToWriteOutsideCachedir,

cve_bin_tool/data_sources/osv_source.py

@@ -16,7 +16,8 @@
 from cvss import CVSS3
 
 from cve_bin_tool.async_utils import FileIO, RateLimiter, aio_run_command
-from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT, Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ErrorMode
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER
 from cve_bin_tool.version import HTTP_HEADERS

cve_bin_tool/data_sources/purl2cpe_source.py

@@ -6,7 +6,8 @@
 
 import aiohttp
 
-from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT, Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ErrorMode
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER
 from cve_bin_tool.version import HTTP_HEADERS

cve_bin_tool/data_sources/redhat_source.py

@@ -8,7 +8,8 @@
 import aiohttp
 
 from cve_bin_tool.async_utils import FileIO, RateLimiter
-from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT, Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ErrorMode
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER
 from cve_bin_tool.version import HTTP_HEADERS

cve_bin_tool/data_sources/rsd_source.py

@@ -14,7 +14,8 @@
 from cvss import CVSS2, CVSS3
 
 from cve_bin_tool.async_utils import FileIO, RateLimiter
-from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT, Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.data_sources import Data_Source
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ErrorMode
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER
 from cve_bin_tool.version import HTTP_HEADERS

cve_bin_tool/database_defaults.py

@@ -0,0 +1,12 @@
+# Copyright (C) 2025 Intel Corporation
+# SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-3.0-or-later
+
+import os
+from pathlib import Path
+
+CACHE_DIR = Path(os.environ.get("XDG_CACHE_HOME", Path.home() / ".cache"))
+DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT = CACHE_DIR / "cve-bin-tool"
+DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP = CACHE_DIR / "cve-bin-tool-backup"
+OLD_CACHE_DIR = Path.home() / ".cache" / "cvedb"
+DBNAME = "cve.db"
+NVD_FILENAME_TEMPLATE = "nvdcve-1.1-{}.json.gz"

cve_bin_tool/helper_script.py

@@ -15,7 +15,8 @@
 from rich import print as rprint
 from rich.console import Console
 
-from cve_bin_tool.cvedb import CVEDB, DBNAME, DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
+from cve_bin_tool.cvedb import CVEDB
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DBNAME, DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.error_handler import ErrorHandler, ErrorMode, UnknownArchiveType
 from cve_bin_tool.extractor import Extractor, TempDirExtractorContext
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER

cve_bin_tool/merge.py

@@ -11,7 +11,7 @@
 
 from cve_bin_tool.cve_scanner import CVEScanner
 
-from .cvedb import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
+from .database_defaults import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from .error_handler import (
     ErrorHandler,
     ErrorMode,

cve_bin_tool/mismatch_loader.py

@@ -5,7 +5,7 @@
 
 import yaml
 
-from cve_bin_tool.cvedb import DBNAME, DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DBNAME, DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.log import LOGGER
 
 SQL_CREATE_TABLE = """

cve_bin_tool/version_signature.py

@@ -8,7 +8,7 @@
 from datetime import datetime
 from pathlib import Path
 
-from cve_bin_tool.cvedb import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 
 
 class InvalidVersionSignatureTable(ValueError):

doc/MANUAL.md

@@ -380,11 +380,21 @@ CVE binary tool is intended for use by developers wishing to track known vulnera
 
 We usually assume that the people providing the binaries for scanning will be the same people who set up and control the environment in which they are run.  For example, a normal use case would be an open source project scanning their own generated files as a build check.  We don't really expect people to use this as a forensics tool on a compromised system. (Although if you use it that way, we'd love to hear how that worked for you!)
 
+### Cache Directory Behavior
+
+The CVE Binary Tool uses a local cache directory to store downloaded vulnerability data (e.g., NVD feeds).  
+By default, it follows the [XDG Base Directory Specification](https://specifications.freedesktop.org/basedir-spec/basedir-spec-latest.html).
+
+- If the `XDG_CACHE_HOME` environment variable is set, the cache will be stored in: `$XDG_CACHE_HOME/cve-bin-tool`
+- If `XDG_CACHE_HOME` is not set, the cache defaults to: `~/.cache/cve-bin-tool`
+
+This allows users to customize where temporary vulnerability data is stored.
+
 ### Use user-level permissions with appropriate file system access
 
 You should give cve-bin-tool minimal, user-level permissions. The user for cve-bin-tool will need access to the following things:
 
-- Read/write access to a cache directory for storing and reading the vulnerability data (`~/.cache/cve-bin-tool/`).
+- Read/write access to a cache directory for storing and reading the vulnerability data.
   - Write access is only needed during data updates, which typically run once a day and can be scheduled separately.
 - Read access to the file/directory to be scanned.
 - Write access to the system temp directory if extracting files.

mismatch/cli.py

@@ -1,12 +1,10 @@
 import argparse
 import os
 import sqlite3
-from pathlib import Path
 
+from cve_bin_tool.database_defaults import DBNAME, DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT
 from cve_bin_tool.mismatch_loader import run_mismatch_loader
 
-DBNAME = "cve.db"
-DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT = Path("~").expanduser() / ".cache" / "cve-bin-tool"
 parent_dir = os.path.dirname(os.path.dirname(os.path.abspath(__file__)))
 data_dir = os.path.join(parent_dir, "mismatch_data")
 dbpath = DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT / DBNAME

test/test_database_defaults.py

@@ -0,0 +1,31 @@
+import importlib
+from pathlib import Path
+
+
+def test_cache_paths_with_xdg(mocker):
+    mocker.patch.dict("os.environ", {"XDG_CACHE_HOME": "/tmp/custom_cache"})
+
+    import cve_bin_tool.database_defaults as db_defaults
+    importlib.reload(db_defaults)
+
+    assert db_defaults.CACHE_DIR == Path("/tmp/custom_cache")
+    assert db_defaults.DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT == Path("/tmp/custom_cache/cve-bin-tool")
+    assert db_defaults.DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP == Path("/tmp/custom_cache/cve-bin-tool-backup")
+    assert db_defaults.OLD_CACHE_DIR == Path.home() / ".cache" / "cvedb"
+    assert db_defaults.DBNAME == "cve.db"
+    assert db_defaults.NVD_FILENAME_TEMPLATE.format("2024") == "nvdcve-1.1-2024.json.gz"
+
+
+def test_cache_paths_fallback_to_home(mocker):
+    mocker.patch.dict("os.environ", {}, clear=True)
+
+    import cve_bin_tool.database_defaults as db_defaults
+    importlib.reload(db_defaults)
+
+    expected_cache = Path.home() / ".cache"
+    assert db_defaults.CACHE_DIR == expected_cache
+    assert db_defaults.DISK_LOCATION_DEFAULT == expected_cache / "cve-bin-tool"
+    assert db_defaults.DISK_LOCATION_BACKUP == expected_cache / "cve-bin-tool-backup"
+    assert db_defaults.OLD_CACHE_DIR == Path.home() / ".cache" / "cvedb"
+    assert db_defaults.DBNAME == "cve.db"
+    assert db_defaults.NVD_FILENAME_TEMPLATE.format("2023") == "nvdcve-1.1-2023.json.gz"