These days a “software bill of materials” is often mentioned in the discussions about security vulnerabilities. However, what is it actually about and why is it so important to have it and follow it in your project? We are going to discuss it in this article.
What is SBoM?
Nowadays it is very rare that the whole software is built from scratch. Software is a combination of components, development frameworks, libraries, operating system features, etc.
Definition:
A Software Bill of Materials (SBoM) is a description of the set of components contained within a piece of software.
Why is SBoM important?
Imagine! A new vulnerability has just been announced: applications that use a certain package are being exploited through cyber attacks. In this situation, you have to act fast to figure out whether your company’s systems and data are in a risk group. This means that you have to find out if any of a wide range of your applications are using a vulnerable package.
This situation is actually not imaginary. It is a real case that is happening more and more often these days: for example, in the beginning of 2016 Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital was hit by the cyber-attack coming from a known vulnerability in open source software components used in its applications.
An ability to see all the components integrated into an application (SBoM) is a great way to quickly determine necessary actions in case vulnerabilities are found in one of components. A SBoM protects an end-user application and guarantees a proper compliance within the wider software supply chain.
Open source components have become essential to companies as they allow a business to save money and time and mitigate some risks. SBoM enables your business to make rapid decisions in response to new vulnerabilities and this is especially important when it comes to life-mission industries as healthcare, for instance.
Binaré’s Component Analysis
Binaré offers your business an IoT Firmware Analysis and Monitoring platform that is designed to help you lower costs and reduce IoT security risks by:
- Analyzing your firmware’s software components and configuration for vulnerabilities: We provide actionable information for remediation and certification.
- Continuous monitoring of the software components in your firmware: When new vulnerabilities or threats emerge, we notify you immediately (via alert or pipeline integration) so you can take action.
Binaré fully supports the SBoM concept, agrees on its importance and, therefore, offers an automated solution that identifies the software components in your IoT device firmware. Come and try our FREE Demo at https://binare.io/. Let us identify the software components in your firmware and give you a comprehensive report on existing vulnerabilities that will help your business to anticipate emerging risks!
