Why Is an SBOM Essential?

Maintaining an SBOM is crucial for understanding your risk profile when utilizing open-source software and third-party components. With anyone able to publish a package on a package manager, release a new framework, or even create a programming language, there is no centralized authority ensuring the safety of released software.

When you incorporate open-source code, you inherently trust that code with access to various resources within your application. Even reputable sources can contain vulnerabilities that are frequently uncovered and exploited. While developers strive to fix these issues promptly, patches must eventually be integrated into your system. Given the multitude of dependencies, each tied to a specific version, your SBOM becomes a fundamental element of your security strategy, ensuring that all software is current, especially when concerns regarding particular packages or versions arise.

Creating Your SBOM

There are three methods to generate your own SBOM; however, only two are practical given the complexity of modern software environments. The first impractical method involves manually cataloging all software components, which is not feasible due to the intricate web of dependencies.

Utilizing SCA Tools

Software Composition Analysis (SCA) tools are designed to track and monitor various aspects of your codebases. Modern SCA tools can produce SBOMs—though they may not label them explicitly—for your evaluation. These tools typically present simple lists within their interfaces, detailing all dependencies and sub-dependencies. Notable SCA tools include Black Duck, JFrog's SCA tools, and Mend (formerly known as Whitesource). My experience with Mend was particularly beneficial for the organization I managed at that time. A significant benefit of these tools is their ability to integrate seamlessly into your Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC).

Local SBOM Generation

You can also create SBOMs based on the software and dependencies installed in your environment. For instance, in a Node.js setup, the packages folder would enumerate everything in use locally. However, this approach may overlook calls to external code, such as remotely hosted scripts. Several language-specific packages can help create these inventories, but the SBOM differs from what you would find in your package.json or requirements.txt file as it also includes the sub-dependencies typically omitted there.

Best Practices for SBOM Management

To effectively manage your SBOM, I suggest using one of the aforementioned services or similar alternatives. Merely having a list of components is not useful unless you actively leverage it to mitigate risks. Many of these tools enable seamless integration with code management systems like GitHub and Atlassian's Bitbucket. Such integration allows SCAs to become an ongoing aspect of your SDLC.

Once these SCAs have mapped your software supply chain, they can provide a thorough analysis of known vulnerabilities per package, highlight anything outdated, and even identify conflicts between different software licenses. Configuring alerts through these tools can keep business leaders, engineering teams, or individual contributors informed about any discovered issues within the SBOM.

It’s crucial to utilize a tool that continuously monitors for potential issues. A package deemed secure at deployment may later be found vulnerable due to new discoveries. Knowing as soon as such issues arise and when patches are available is essential.

Managing Your SBOM

Once you implement one or more tools, you will likely discover numerous issues requiring attention. Achieving “zero” issues is nearly impossible since software and security are perpetually evolving. Nevertheless, you can adopt a few strategies to ensure you remain focused on what’s most critical:

1. Set alerts for vulnerabilities in packages and prioritize their remediation.
2. Conduct monthly meetings with your security council to assess what non-vulnerability issues should be addressed and their urgency.
3. Foster clear communication between engineering and product teams to facilitate necessary upgrades and patches related to SBOM concerns.
4. Appoint a designated individual to oversee the license and compliance review of the SBOM, which may include a member from your legal team, the head of engineering, or a founder, depending on your organization’s stage.
5. Take a step-by-step approach. Aside from vulnerabilities that could compromise your business or customer data, many outdated packages and minor issues require time to resolve. While it’s important not to let matters deteriorate, prioritize what you can and proceed judiciously.

By implementing these practices and maintaining an SBOM through an SCA tool, you can prevent many easily addressed software exploits and gain deeper insights into your organization’s software supply chain practices. Additionally, you may experience enhanced application performance, simplified future updates, and improved dependency management.

Demystifying the Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM)

In this video, we explore the concept of SBOMs, discussing their significance and why they have become a topic of interest in the software development community.

Creation of Your Software Bill Of Materials (SBOM)

This video provides a step-by-step guide on how to create your own SBOM, detailing the processes and tools that can be utilized.