diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index e2b213e..9df1535 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -61,12 +61,15 @@ enable what you give it.
 | `SOC_TITLE` | | `Security scan — <slug>` | the report's title |
 | `SOC_VISIBILITY` | | `private` | `private` or `authenticated` |
 | `SOC_TAGS` | | `collector` | extra report tags |
+| `SOC_EXCLUDE_IMAGES` | | — | comma-separated substrings; running images matching any are skipped by the `cve` source |
 
 ## Notes
 
 - **Docker socket** is mounted **read-only** (`:ro`) and is only used to *list* running
   containers and *inspect* their config. For extra isolation, point it at a scoped
   socket-proxy instead of the raw socket.
+- The `cve` source **skips the collector's own container**, so the scanner never reports
+  on itself. Use `SOC_EXCLUDE_IMAGES` to drop any other images you don't want scanned.
 - The collector is **pure-stdlib Python**; the image just adds `nmap` and `trivy`.
 - Multi-server: run one container per server with a distinct `SOC_SLUG` — one report each.
 
diff --git a/sources/cve.py b/sources/cve.py
index acb0e2a..bd28633 100644
--- a/sources/cve.py
+++ b/sources/cve.py
@@ -13,6 +13,9 @@ that you can apply it. For an image you don't build and already run :latest of,
 explicit, and actionable findings sort above the can't-do-anything ones.
 """
 import json
+import os
+import re
+import socket
 import subprocess
 
 from soc import finding
@@ -23,13 +26,46 @@ OWN_PREFIX = "git.skui.io/"
 STATUS_RANK = {"yours": 0, "update": 1, "upstream": 2}
 
 
+def _own_container_id():
+    """The collector's own container id, so we don't scan ourselves.
+
+    /proc carries the full id regardless of `--hostname`; fall back to the
+    hostname (== the short container id by Docker default). Empty string when
+    not running in a container (then nothing is excluded)."""
+    try:
+        with open("/proc/self/mountinfo") as fh:          # …/containers/<id>/{hostname,hosts}
+            m = re.search(r"/containers/([0-9a-f]{64})/", fh.read())
+            if m:
+                return m.group(1)
+    except OSError:
+        pass
+    try:
+        with open("/proc/self/cgroup") as fh:             # cgroup v1: …/docker/<id>
+            m = re.search(r"docker[-/]([0-9a-f]{64})", fh.read())
+            if m:
+                return m.group(1)
+    except OSError:
+        pass
+    try:
+        return socket.gethostname().strip()
+    except Exception:
+        return ""
+
+
 def _running_images():
     conts = _docker.get("/containers/json") or []
+    self_id = _own_container_id()
+    # optional extra exclusions: SOC_EXCLUDE_IMAGES=substr1,substr2
+    extra = [s.strip() for s in os.environ.get("SOC_EXCLUDE_IMAGES", "").split(",") if s.strip()]
     seen = []
     for c in conts:
+        cid = c.get("Id", "")
+        if self_id and cid.startswith(self_id):
+            continue  # don't scan the collector itself
         img = c.get("Image", "")
-        if img and img not in seen:
-            seen.append(img)
+        if not img or img in seen or any(x in img for x in extra):
+            continue
+        seen.append(img)
     return seen