Software Bill of Materials

A Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is a formal record that lists all the components contained in software. Much like a bill of materials in manufacturing lists parts in a physical product, an SBOM identifies the libraries, dependencies, and modules that make up a software application. 

How a Software Bill of Materials Works

An SBOM contains details about every component used in a software build. This includes open-source libraries, third-party dependencies, and proprietary code. Each component is recorded with a version number, source, and licensing information.

Organizations generate SBOMs during the build process. These files are then stored, shared, or audited to track what software is running in production environments.

Benefits of an SBOM

Maintaining an SBOM provides several advantages:

• Transparency: Developers and security teams know exactly what is inside an application.
• Vulnerability management: When a library or dependency is found to have a flaw, teams can easily identify whether they are affected.
• Compliance: SBOMs help organizations meet regulations and industry standards that require software transparency.
• Supply chain security: By knowing the origin and version of each component, organizations reduce the risk of compromised code.

Together, these benefits help organizations deliver safer and more reliable software.

Regulatory Requirements for SBOMs

SBOMs are no longer just a best practice. They are becoming a regulatory requirement. In the United States, Executive Order 14028 mandates that vendors providing software to federal agencies supply SBOMs. Similar requirements are appearing in healthcare, critical infrastructure, and financial sectors worldwide.

These regulations reflect the growing importance of SBOMs in protecting against supply chain attacks and ensuring that organizations know exactly what components are running in their software.

FAQs about Software Bill of Materials

What is the difference between software BOM and SBOM?

There is no difference. “Software BOM” is simply another way of saying SBOM, which stands for Software Bill of Materials. Both terms describe the same concept: a list of all software components, their versions, and their origins.

What is SBOM and CBoM?

SBOM refers to a Software Bill of Materials, which lists the components of an application’s software stack. CBoM refers to a Cybersecurity Bill of Materials, which includes not only software components but also hardware, firmware, and other elements relevant to securing a system. 

SBOMs are software-specific, while CBoMs take a broader view of system security.