Protecting Software Supply Chains with SBOM & PBOM

The software supply chain incorporates a constantly expanding library of proprietary, third-party, and open source software components that modern organizations rely on to compete – and win! – in the Digital+ economy. It includes every stage of the product lifecycle, including code development, dependency management, testing, deployment and ongoing updates.

With so many components in the software supply chain, it’s a significant challenge to secure them all.

Hackers are increasingly looking for the security gaps and are much more likely to attack the stages that aren’t as well protected. Security tools like Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) and Pipeline Bill of Materials (PBOM) are becoming increasingly important to organizations determined to successfully manage these escalating risks.

In a recent article titled, “Disruption Preparedness in Supply and Demand”, Mike Khusid, HCL AppScan’s Director of Product, breaks down how SBOM and PBOM are preparing companies for disruption with these tools. Recent incidents, like the 2022 cyberattack on one of Toyota’s key suppliers and the polyfill.js hack that affected thousands of web applications, show how breaches can lead to serious consequences like financial losses, reputational damage, data leaks, and legal challenges. Hackers often aim for the weakest links, like third-party vendors with insufficient security policies.

The Importance of SBOM & PBOM

There are many tools that play a role in application security testing, but SBOM and PBOM are specific to software supply chain security, and have become game changers in terms of end-to-end security.

SBOM gives you a detailed list of all the components, libraries, and dependencies in your software. This helps identify vulnerabilities fast, ensures compliance, and enables a quick response when issues arise. PBOM not only catalogs components but also processes throughout the entire software pipeline from development to production. It tracks every change, monitors for risks and ensures your code stays secure throughout the process.

Having these tools isn’t just a bonus but essential to stay ahead of disruptions. Organizations should be taking the steps to adopt SBOM and PBOM best practices, invest in strong cybersecurity, and build flexible policies that can protect their software and stay secure when attackers are knocking on their door.

Read the complete article here.

Visit HCL AppScan to learn more about Supply Chain Security and how we can be the first step in securing your data.