An executive order from President Biden in 2021 focused on enhancing software supply chain security. This added transparency can help to identify and mitigate security risks, such as vulnerabilities in open source components or malicious code that has been inserted into the supply chain. These Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) play an important role in enhancing software supply chain security by providing transparency into the components used to build software. This requirement is designed to help the government to better understand and manage the security risks associated with the software it uses.

The development of commercial software often lacks transparency, security focus, and safeguards against tampering. To ensure software functions securely and as intended, especially critical software, there is a need for more robust and predictable mechanisms. With this in mind, let’s explore the concept of a Supplier/Vendor Software Bill of Materials (SBOM).