Whitepaper
What is xBOM?
An xBOM or Extended Bill of Materials is a collection of multiple types of Bills of Materials (BOMs), or inventories relevant to a product. The different BOMs provide visibility into different domains based on the product being made.
For example, an xBOM for an application can include:SBOM: an inventory of software components
- SaaSBOM: an inventory of networked services that the application calls upon
- CBOM: an inventory of cryptographic assets used within the application
Whereas an xBOM for a device would include a different combination of inventories, for example:
- SBOM: an inventory of software componentsSaaSBOM: an inventory of networked services that the application calls upon
- HBOM: an inventory of hardware components
- MBOM: an inventory of manufacturing details and workflows
Why is xBOM Important?
Organizations need complete visibility into the software and hardware products being produced or purchased in an era of complex digital ecosystems and increasing cyber threats. xBOM enables deeper insight, traceability, and security across the entire lifecycle of a product, supporting compliance, resilience, and faster response to vulnerabilities.
How Does xBOM Work?
xBOM provides a single artifact that collects the various BOMs created from multiple sources. For example, software related BOMs can be created by analyzing the software stack using static code analysis, binary scanning, and configuration reviews. These BOMs can be produced and maintained through automated tools that as part of secure development workflows or during third-party software evaluations. SaaSBOMs can be generated through a combination of API discovery, inventory mapping tools, software binary analysis, and integration with IT asset management or SaaS management platforms.
Hardware related BOM can be created from design software and component specifications. While BOMs related to product operations can capture details about configurations, operating systems, and other dependencies from testing, staging, or production environments.
Business Benefits of xBOM
- End-to-End Visibility: Full-stack inventory from code to cloud.
- Faster Vulnerability Management: Quickly identify affected components.
- Improved Compliance: Meet standards like NIST, ISO, and CISA guidance.
- Enhanced Incident Response: Trace attack paths and isolate exposure faster.
- Supply Chain Risk Management: Evaluate risks beyond software alone.
How to Limit Attacks Using xBOM
- Continuous Monitoring: Detect unauthorized changes across the full tech stack.
- Provenance Tracking: Verify the origin and integrity of every component.
- Vulnerability Correlation: Cross-reference known CVEs with xBOM data.
- Attack Surface Mapping: Understand exposure through third-party integrations.
xBOM Use Cases
- Software Supply Chain Security: Gain deep visibility into all software components to identify and mitigate third-party risks across your digital supply chain.
- Zero Trust Architecture Implementation: Leverage full-stack asset inventories to enforce least-privilege access and validate trust across every component.
- Post-Breach Forensics and Containment: Rapidly trace compromised components and isolate affected systems using complete asset and dependency data.
- Secure Development Lifecycle (SDLC) Integration: Integrate continuous asset tracking and validation into your CI/CD pipelines for secure-by-design development.
- Bridge Gaps in Security Practices: Holistic visibility across hardware and software integration points and proactively manage risks such as outdated firmware, hardware dependencies or compliance requirements.
- Regulatory Audits and Vendor Risk Assessments: Provide transparent, verifiable records of all digital components to meet compliance standards and streamline third-party evaluations.
Additional xBOM Considerations
- Standardization: xBOMs are still emerging; schema standards are evolving.
- Scalability: Generating and managing xBOMs can be complex without automation.
- Tooling: Ensure interoperability with asset inventories, and vulnerability scanners.
- Privacy: Avoid exposing sensitive internal data when sharing an xBOM with third parties.