GitLab research shows over two-thirds (69%) of global CXOs say they are shipping software at least twice as fast as a year ago, highlighting that acceleration is underway despite software development becoming more complex. Clear insights into threats and vulnerabilities are crucial as software liability discussions take the spotlight. Quantifying risks from software composition is now a must.
A software bill of materials (SBOM) is a key way to gain visibility into previously unidentified organizational risks. Adopting a security posture incorporating SBOM generation, analysis, and triage can drive substantial, immediate benefits.
An SBOM is pivotal in any multifaceted DevSecOps strategy, enabling insights for improving an application's security health. SBOMs help fortify organizational cybersecurity posture in a world of continuously emerging threats.
In today's rapidly evolving digital landscape, the emphasis on application security within the software supply chain has never been more critical.
Integrating upstream dependencies into software requires transparency and security measures that can be extremely complex to implement and manage. This is where an SBOM becomes indispensable.
An SBOM provides a comprehensive list of ingredients that make up software applications. It illuminates the intricate web of libraries, tools, and processes used across the development lifecycle.
Coupled with vulnerability management tools, an SBOM reveals potential threats in software products and paves the way for strategic risk evaluation and mitigation. In GitLab’s 2024 DevSecOps Report, only 21% of organizations report using SBOMs to enable security in the software development lifecycle, but the risk associated with a lack of visibility to software composition is becoming too great to ignore. What you don’t know can and will hurt you.
SBOM benefits aren’t limited to a single software development use case. SBOM generation is often considered in the context of a single project that may include open source software. But an SBOM also adds visibility to projects that integrate with third-party commercial software, programs that merge data across multiple projects, or systems that validate code contributed by a third party or a subcontractor—any code that will be incorporated into a larger software ecosystem.