What is an SBOM?

Just like you want to understand what's in your food, it's important to understand what makes up your software. A Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is a list of all the software components used to build your product. Think of it as the ingredients for your software.

But you also want to understand where the ingredients have come from and want assurance that the freshest ingredients have been used. In software terms, this is understanding the supply chain of all of the components which have come together and ensuring that only supported and maintained versions of the components are being used.

In today's complex software landscape, SBOMs are essential for ensuring software security and compliance.and help organisations:

• Identify and mitigate vulnerabilities

• Identify and manage software licenses

• Demonstrate compliance with regulatory requirements

• Respond effectively to security incidents

By knowing the ingredients, you can be confident in the software's quality, security, and compliance. It's like checking the label on a food product to see if it contains any allergens.

Next - Generating an SBOM