Software Bill of Materials (SBOM): A Strategic Perspective
What is an SBOM?
At its core, an SBOM is a machine-readable inventory of all the components that make up a software application. This includes:
- Open-source and proprietary libraries
- Version numbers of each component
- Licences associated with them
- Direct and transitive dependencies
- Metadata such as suppliers and cryptographic hashes
It is akin to a supply chain manifest in manufacturing: if you’re building a car, you need to know the origin, quality, and specifications of each part. Software is no different.
Why SBOMs Are Strategically Critical
1. Cybersecurity Readiness
Modern software often includes hundreds of dependencies—many of them open-source. An SBOM makes it possible to identify vulnerable components when a new CVE (Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures) is disclosed.
High-profile incidents like Log4Shell have demonstrated how pervasive vulnerabilities in widely-used libraries can cripple systems across industries. Organisations with SBOMs had a significant advantage in assessing impact and responding swiftly.
2. Regulatory and Contractual Compliance
Governments and industry bodies are increasingly mandating SBOMs as part of software procurement and cybersecurity standards. For example:
- The U.S. Executive Order 14028 requires vendors selling to federal agencies to provide SBOMs.
- Healthcare, financial services, and critical infrastructure sectors globally are seeing similar regulatory movements.
SBOMs also simplify compliance with licence obligations, helping avoid the accidental use of components with incompatible or risky licences (e.g., GPL in a closed-source product).
3. Risk and Supply Chain Management
Modern software development relies heavily on a software supply chain. Without transparency, that chain is opaque and fragile. An SBOM provides visibility into that chain, enabling:
- Risk assessments of third-party software
- Supplier due diligence
- Proactive remediation planning for unmaintained or deprecated components
It’s an enabler of both technical resilience and vendor accountability.
4. Operational Efficiency and Lifecycle Management
SBOMs are also invaluable in:
- Incident response: Speeding up triage and patching
- Audits: Providing clear artefacts for internal or third-party review
- End-of-life planning: Identifying outdated dependencies before they become liabilities
- M&A due diligence: Quickly assessing the software landscape of an acquisition target
They provide a living map of your software estate, supporting better governance and maintainability.
Implementation and Tooling
Generating and maintaining an SBOM can be automated using tools like:
- Syft, CycloneDX, or SPDX (standards for SBOM formats)
- SCA tools (Software Composition Analysis) like Snyk, Black Duck, or GitHub’s Dependabot
These tools can be integrated into CI/CD pipelines to ensure SBOMs are generated and updated continuously with each release.
Challenges and Considerations
While SBOMs offer immense value, organisations need to consider:
- Data accuracy and completeness: SBOMs must capture transitive dependencies to be fully effective.
- Integration into workflows: Embedding SBOM generation into the SDLC is key to scalability.
- Storage and access controls: Treat SBOMs as sensitive assets; they can reveal exploitable metadata if mismanaged.
- Standardisation: Aligning on a format (e.g. CycloneDX vs SPDX) that suits your ecosystem and partners.