CVSS offers a useful severity baseline, but severity is only one dimension of prioritization. A critical finding on an isolated test device may have a different business impact from a lower-scoring issue on an exposed identity service.
Combine confirmed exploitation, exploit availability, internet exposure, asset importance, and available compensating controls. Threat intelligence should inform the decision, not replace validation.
Build a manageable queue with accountable owners and deadlines. Explain why a finding is urgent in language the operations team can act on, and preserve exception decisions.
Review trends in unresolved risk, time to verified remediation, scan coverage, and recurring findings. A shrinking backlog is useful only when it represents actual reduction in exposure.