Modern software applications are rarely built entirely from code written by a single development team. Most applications depend on open-source libraries, third-party packages, frameworks, APIs, container images, and other external components. While these dependencies accelerate development, they can also introduce security and compliance risks.
A Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) provides organizations with a detailed inventory of the components used within a software application. By improving visibility into software components and their relationships, an SBOM can help businesses identify vulnerabilities, respond to security incidents, manage dependencies, and strengthen their overall software supply chain security.
What Is a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)?
A Software Bill of Materials, commonly called an SBOM, is a structured inventory of the software components, libraries, packages, and dependencies included in an application or software product.
It is similar to a list of ingredients on a food package. Instead of listing food ingredients, an SBOM identifies the software components that make up an application.
An SBOM may contain information such as:
- Component names
- Component versions
- Software suppliers
- Dependencies
- Licensing information
- Component identifiers
- Relationships between components
This information gives development and security teams better visibility into what is actually included in their software.
Why Do Businesses Need SBOMs?
Software dependency chains can become extremely complex. A single application may directly depend on dozens of packages while indirectly relying on hundreds or thousands of additional components.
Without an accurate inventory, organizations may not know exactly which components are being used across their applications.
An SBOM can help businesses:
- Discover software components
- Identify vulnerable dependencies
- Improve vulnerability response
- Track software licenses
- Understand dependency relationships
- Support security audits
- Improve supply chain visibility
How SBOMs Improve Software Supply Chain Security
Software supply chain security requires organizations to understand the components and processes involved in creating and delivering software.
An SBOM provides visibility into one of the most important parts of that supply chain: the software components themselves.
For example, if a vulnerability is discovered in a widely used open-source package, an organization with an accurate SBOM can quickly determine which applications contain the affected component.
Without this information, security teams may need to manually investigate multiple projects and environments.
SBOM and Vulnerability Management
One of the most important applications of an SBOM is vulnerability management.
Security teams can compare components listed in an SBOM against vulnerability databases and security advisories.
This can help answer questions such as:
- Which applications use the affected component?
- Which version is currently installed?
- Is the vulnerable version running in production?
- Which teams own the affected applications?
- Is an updated version available?
This information can make vulnerability response faster and more targeted.
SBOM and Zero-Day Vulnerabilities
A newly discovered vulnerability can create significant pressure for security teams, particularly when organizations do not have a clear inventory of their software components.
When a new vulnerability is announced, an SBOM can help organizations quickly search their software inventory for affected packages and versions.
This does not eliminate the vulnerability itself, but it can significantly improve the organization’s ability to determine exposure and prioritize remediation.
Direct and Transitive Dependencies
Understanding dependencies is important because applications often use components indirectly.
A project may directly depend on Library A, while Library A depends on Library B and Library C.
Application
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Library A
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Library B Library C
Library B and Library C are transitive dependencies from the application’s perspective.
An effective SBOM should provide visibility into these relationships so security teams can understand the complete dependency chain.
SBOM and Open-Source Software
Open-source components are widely used in modern software development.
They provide developers with reusable functionality and can significantly reduce development time. However, organizations also need to monitor these components for vulnerabilities, maintenance issues, and licensing considerations.
An SBOM helps organizations maintain a clearer record of which open-source components are present in their applications.
SBOM and Software Licensing
Security is not the only reason businesses use SBOMs.
Software components can have different open-source licenses, each with its own requirements and conditions.
An SBOM can help organizations identify the licenses associated with their dependencies and support software compliance processes.
This can be particularly valuable for businesses distributing commercial software products.
SBOM and Compliance
Organizations operating in regulated industries may need stronger visibility into their software components and development processes.
SBOMs can support security and compliance activities by providing structured information about the components included in software products.
They can also make software inventories easier to review during internal assessments, customer security reviews, and other compliance-related processes.
What Information Does an SBOM Contain?
The exact contents of an SBOM can vary depending on the format and tooling used, but common information includes:
| Information | Purpose |
|---|---|
| Component Name | Identifies the software component. |
| Version | Identifies the specific component release. |
| Supplier | Identifies the organization or source associated with the component. |
| License | Provides information about software licensing. |
| Component Identifier | Provides a standardized way to identify components. |
| Dependency Relationship | Shows how components depend on one another. |
Common SBOM Formats
Several standardized formats can be used to represent SBOM information.
SPDX
SPDX is an open standard designed to communicate information about software components, licenses, and related metadata.
CycloneDX
CycloneDX is another widely used SBOM standard designed to represent component and dependency information in a machine-readable format.
SWID
Software Identification Tags (SWID) provide structured information that can be used to identify installed software products and components.
Organizations should select formats based on their tooling, ecosystem, compliance requirements, and integration needs.
How Is an SBOM Created?
SBOMs can be generated using software composition analysis tools, build systems, package managers, development platforms, and other security tools.
A typical workflow may look like this:
Source Code
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Dependency Analysis
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Component Identification
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SBOM Generation
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SBOM Storage
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Security & Compliance Analysis
The SBOM can then be updated as software dependencies change.
SBOM Should Be Continuously Maintained
An SBOM should not be treated as a one-time document created at the beginning of a project.
Software changes continuously. Developers add packages, upgrade libraries, remove dependencies, and introduce new components.
Therefore, organizations should integrate SBOM generation into their software development and release processes wherever practical.
Integrating SBOMs Into CI/CD Pipelines
CI/CD pipelines provide a practical location for automated SBOM generation.
A pipeline can generate an SBOM during a build and associate it with the corresponding software artifact.
A simplified process may look like:
- Developer commits code.
- CI pipeline builds the application.
- Dependencies are identified.
- SBOM is generated.
- Security checks are performed.
- Application is packaged.
- SBOM is stored with the release information.
This approach can help keep software inventories aligned with actual releases.
SBOM and Container Images
Containerized applications can contain operating system packages, application dependencies, libraries, and other components.
Creating SBOMs for container images can help organizations understand what is included inside those images.
Security teams can then use the information to identify vulnerable components and determine which images require updates.
SBOM and Cloud Applications
Cloud-native applications often use multiple services, libraries, containers, and third-party components.
As cloud environments become more distributed, maintaining visibility into application components becomes increasingly important.
SBOMs can complement broader cloud security practices by providing software-level visibility across application releases.
SBOMs and DevSecOps
DevSecOps integrates security practices into the software development lifecycle.
SBOM generation fits naturally into this approach because it can be incorporated into automated development and deployment workflows.
Instead of waiting until production to investigate dependencies, teams can identify component risks earlier in the development lifecycle.
SBOM and Software Asset Inventory
An organization may have hundreds of applications across development, testing, and production environments.
Maintaining a centralized software component inventory can help security teams understand where specific dependencies are being used.
This can be especially valuable during security incidents or large-scale vulnerability remediation efforts.
SBOM During a Security Incident
Consider a situation where a critical vulnerability is discovered in a popular open-source library.
A business needs to determine whether it is affected.
With an up-to-date SBOM inventory, security teams can:
- Identify the vulnerable component.
- Search SBOM records for the component.
- Identify affected applications.
- Determine the versions in use.
- Prioritize remediation.
- Verify updated releases.
This can significantly reduce the time required to understand the organization’s exposure.
Limitations of SBOMs
Although SBOMs provide valuable visibility, they are not a complete security solution.
An SBOM does not automatically:
- Fix vulnerabilities
- Prevent malicious code
- Secure source repositories
- Protect CI/CD pipelines
- Guarantee that every component is safe
- Replace application security testing
SBOMs should therefore be considered one part of a broader software supply chain security strategy.
Challenges of Implementing SBOMs
Organizations may encounter several challenges when introducing SBOM practices.
Complex Dependency Trees
Modern applications can contain large numbers of direct and transitive dependencies.
Rapidly Changing Software
Frequent dependency updates require SBOMs to be regenerated and maintained continuously.
Tool Integration
Organizations may use different development platforms, programming languages, build systems, and security tools.
Data Quality
An incomplete or inaccurate SBOM can reduce its usefulness during vulnerability investigations.
Third-Party Software
Organizations may not always have complete visibility into the internal components of externally supplied software.
Best Practices for SBOM Management
- Generate SBOMs automatically where practical.
- Keep SBOMs synchronized with software releases.
- Track both direct and transitive dependencies.
- Use standardized SBOM formats.
- Store SBOMs securely and make them accessible to authorized teams.
- Integrate SBOMs with vulnerability management processes.
- Monitor dependencies for newly discovered vulnerabilities.
- Include SBOM generation in CI/CD workflows.
- Review third-party software components.
- Define ownership for SBOM maintenance.
SBOM Implementation Checklist
| Area | Recommended Practice |
|---|---|
| Inventory | Maintain visibility into software components and dependencies. |
| Automation | Automate SBOM generation as part of development workflows. |
| Dependencies | Track direct and transitive dependencies. |
| Standards | Use recognized machine-readable SBOM formats. |
| Security | Connect SBOM information with vulnerability management processes. |
| Updates | Regenerate SBOMs when software components change. |
| Storage | Securely store SBOMs and control access to sensitive information. |
| Incident Response | Use SBOM data to quickly identify potentially affected applications. |
How Businesses Can Build an SBOM Strategy
Organizations do not need to transform their entire software development process overnight.
A practical approach can begin with identifying critical applications and their dependencies.
Businesses can then:
- Identify applications that require component visibility.
- Select appropriate SBOM tooling.
- Define an SBOM format.
- Automate SBOM generation.
- Connect SBOM data with vulnerability management.
- Establish ownership and maintenance processes.
- Expand the approach across additional applications.
This gradual approach can make SBOM adoption easier to manage.
How Skillions Can Help
At Skillions, we help businesses develop, modernize, and maintain software applications with a focus on scalability, reliability, and security. Our teams can help organizations improve development workflows, application architecture, cloud environments, APIs, CI/CD processes, and software modernization initiatives.
Our Software Development Services
- Custom Software Development
- Web Application Development
- SaaS Development
- Enterprise Application Development
- API Development
- Backend Development
- Frontend Development
- Cloud Application Development
- DevOps and CI/CD
- Application Modernization
- System Integration
- Software Architecture
Conclusion
A Software Bill of Materials gives businesses greater visibility into the components that make up their software.
By maintaining an accurate inventory of dependencies, libraries, packages, and other software components, organizations can respond more effectively to newly discovered vulnerabilities, improve license management, support compliance activities, and strengthen software supply chain security.
However, an SBOM should not be viewed as a standalone security solution. Its greatest value comes when it is integrated with secure development practices, dependency management, vulnerability monitoring, CI/CD security, access controls, and incident response processes.
As modern applications continue to depend on increasingly complex software ecosystems, knowing exactly what is inside your software is becoming an important part of building and maintaining secure applications.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is an SBOM?
An SBOM, or Software Bill of Materials, is a structured inventory of the software components and dependencies contained within an application or software product.
Why is an SBOM important for cybersecurity?
An SBOM improves visibility into software components, helping organizations identify affected applications when vulnerabilities are discovered in third-party libraries or dependencies.
Does an SBOM prevent vulnerabilities?
No. An SBOM provides visibility but does not itself prevent or fix vulnerabilities. It should be combined with vulnerability management and other security practices.
What are the common SBOM formats?
Common SBOM standards include SPDX, CycloneDX, and SWID. Organizations can select a format based on their technical and operational requirements.
Should SBOMs include transitive dependencies?
Yes. Transitive dependencies can introduce security and compliance risks, so understanding the broader dependency chain is important.
How often should an SBOM be updated?
SBOMs should be updated whenever the software’s components or dependencies change. Automating generation through CI/CD workflows can help maintain accurate records.
Can SBOMs be used for container security?
Yes. SBOMs can provide visibility into the components included in container images and help security teams identify vulnerable packages.
Can SBOMs help during a security incident?
Yes. An up-to-date SBOM can help organizations quickly determine which applications contain a vulnerable or compromised software component.
Does Skillions help businesses improve software security?
Skillions provides custom software development, cloud application development, DevOps and CI/CD, application modernization, API development, enterprise software development, and software architecture services.
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