diff --git a/pontos/cpe/_cpe.py b/pontos/cpe/_cpe.py
index 714b90ce5..f870d2d60 100644
--- a/pontos/cpe/_cpe.py
+++ b/pontos/cpe/_cpe.py
@@ -253,7 +253,10 @@ def bind_value_for_uri(value: Optional[str]) -> str:
         return ""
     if value == NA:
         return value
-    return _transform_for_uri(value)
+    try:
+        return _transform_for_uri(value)
+    except Exception as e:
+        raise CPEParsingError(f"Can't bind '{value}' for URI") from e
 
 
 def unbind_value_uri(value: Optional[str]) -> Optional[str]:
@@ -318,6 +321,33 @@ def unbind_value_uri(value: Optional[str]) -> Optional[str]:
     return result
 
 
+def split_cpe(cpe: str) -> list[str]:
+    """
+    Split a CPE into its parts
+    """
+    if "\\:" in cpe:
+        # houston we have a problem
+        # the cpe string contains an escaped colon (:)
+        parts = []
+        index = 0
+        start_index = 0
+        stripped_cpe = cpe
+        while index < len(cpe):
+            if index > 0 and cpe[index] == ":" and cpe[index - 1] != "\\":
+                part = cpe[start_index:index]
+                parts.append(part)
+                start_index = index + 1
+                stripped_cpe = cpe[start_index:]
+            index += 1
+
+        if stripped_cpe:
+            parts.append(stripped_cpe)
+    else:
+        parts = cpe.split(":")
+
+    return parts
+
+
 @dataclass(frozen=True)  # should require keywords only with Python >= 3.10
 class CPE:
     """
@@ -389,7 +419,7 @@ def from_string(cpe: str) -> "CPE":
         Create a new CPE from a string
         """
         cleaned_cpe = cpe.strip().lower()
-        parts = cpe.split(":")
+        parts = split_cpe(cleaned_cpe)
 
         if is_uri_binding(cleaned_cpe):
             values: dict[str, Optional[str]] = dict(
diff --git a/tests/cpe/test_cpe.py b/tests/cpe/test_cpe.py
index ce23f28c4..d2fca5e20 100644
--- a/tests/cpe/test_cpe.py
+++ b/tests/cpe/test_cpe.py
@@ -7,6 +7,58 @@
 import unittest
 
 from pontos.cpe import ANY, CPE, NA, CPEParsingError, Part
+from pontos.cpe._cpe import split_cpe
+
+
+class SplitCpeTestCase(unittest.TestCase):
+    def test_split_uri_cpe(self):
+        parts = split_cpe("cpe:/o:microsoft:windows_xp:::pro")
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(parts), 7)
+        self.assertEqual(parts[0], "cpe")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[1], "/o")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[2], "microsoft")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[3], "windows_xp")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[4], "")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[5], "")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[6], "pro")
+
+    def test_split_formatted_cpe(self):
+        parts = split_cpe(
+            "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:internet_explorer:8.0.6001:beta:*:*:*:*:*:*"
+        )
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(parts), 13)
+        self.assertEqual(parts[0], "cpe")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[1], "2.3")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[2], "a")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[3], "microsoft")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[4], "internet_explorer")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[5], "8.0.6001")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[6], "beta")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[7], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[8], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[9], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[10], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[11], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[12], "*")
+
+        parts = split_cpe("cpe:2.3:a:foo:bar\:mumble:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*")
+
+        self.assertEqual(len(parts), 13)
+        self.assertEqual(parts[0], "cpe")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[1], "2.3")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[2], "a")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[3], "foo")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[4], "bar\\:mumble")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[5], "1.0")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[6], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[7], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[8], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[9], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[10], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[11], "*")
+        self.assertEqual(parts[12], "*")
 
 
 class CPETestCase(unittest.TestCase):
@@ -390,10 +442,10 @@ def test_formatted_unbind_examples(self):
         self.assertEqual(cpe.part, Part.APPLICATION)
         self.assertEqual(cpe.vendor, "microsoft")
         self.assertEqual(cpe.product, "internet_explorer")
-        # self.assertEqual(cpe.version, "8\.0\.6001")
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.version, "8\.0\.6001")
         self.assertEqual(cpe.update, "beta")
-        self.assertEqual(cpe.language, ANY)
         self.assertEqual(cpe.edition, ANY)
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.language, ANY)
         self.assertEqual(cpe.sw_edition, ANY)
         self.assertEqual(cpe.target_sw, ANY)
         self.assertEqual(cpe.target_hw, ANY)
@@ -463,14 +515,34 @@ def test_formatted_unbind_examples(self):
         self.assertEqual(cpe.target_hw, "80gb")
         self.assertEqual(cpe.other, ANY)
 
+        cpe = CPE.from_string("cpe:2.3:a:foo:bar\:mumble:1.0:*:*:*:*:*:*:*")
+        self.assertFalse(cpe.is_uri_binding())
+        self.assertTrue(cpe.is_formatted_string_binding())
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.part, Part.APPLICATION)
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.vendor, "foo")
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.product, "bar\:mumble")
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.version, "1\.0")
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.update, ANY)
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.edition, ANY)
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.language, ANY)
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.sw_edition, ANY)
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.target_sw, ANY)
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.target_hw, ANY)
+        self.assertEqual(cpe.other, ANY)
+
     def test_as_uri_binding(self):
-        cpe_string = "cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:internet_explorer:8\\.*:sp?"
-        cpe = CPE.from_string(cpe_string)
+        cpe = CPE.from_string("cpe:2.3:a:microsoft:internet_explorer:8\\.*:sp?")
         self.assertEqual(
             cpe.as_uri_binding(),
             "cpe:/a:microsoft:internet_explorer:8.%02:sp%01",
         )
 
+        cpe = CPE.from_string("cpe:2.3:a:cgiirc:cgi\:irc:0.5.7:*:*:*:*:*:*:*")
+        self.assertEqual(
+            cpe.as_uri_binding(),
+            "cpe:/a:cgiirc:cgi%3airc:0.5.7",
+        )
+
     def test_as_uri_binding_with_edition(self):
         cpe_string = "cpe:2.3:a:hp:insight_diagnostics:7.4.0.1570:-:*:*:online:win2003:x64"
         cpe = CPE.from_string(cpe_string)