Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)
: A comprehensive inventory of all software components, libraries, and dependencies in an application. An SBOM lists every package name, version, supplier, and relationship (direct vs transitive dependency). Formats include SPDX and CycloneDX. SBOMs enable vulnerability tracking, license compliance, and supply chain risk management.
Why It Matters for AI-Coded Apps
Vibe-coded apps often accumulate dependencies rapidly as AI adds packages to solve each task. Without an SBOM, you have no visibility into what code is actually running in production. When a critical CVE drops (like Log4Shell), an SBOM lets you instantly determine if you are affected.
Real-World Example
A vibe-coded Next.js app has 15 direct dependencies in package.json but 847 total packages in node_modules. An SBOM generated by syft or cdxgen catalogs every one, revealing that 12 have known CVEs, 3 have restrictive licenses (GPL), and 23 have no maintainer activity in 2+ years.
How to Detect and Prevent It
Generate SBOMs automatically in CI/CD using tools like syft, cdxgen, or Trivy. Store SBOMs alongside releases. Monitor SBOMs against vulnerability databases continuously. Review SBOMs for license compliance (especially GPL, AGPL). Update your SBOM on every dependency change.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an SBOM legally required?
In the US, Executive Order 14028 requires SBOMs for software sold to federal agencies. The EU Cyber Resilience Act will require SBOMs for products sold in the EU. Many enterprise customers already require SBOMs from vendors. Even without legal requirements, SBOMs are essential for security posture.
What formats are used for SBOMs?
The two main standards are SPDX (ISO/IEC 5962, supported by Linux Foundation) and CycloneDX (OWASP standard). Both support JSON and XML. CycloneDX is more popular for application security; SPDX is more established for license compliance. Most tools support both formats.
How often should I regenerate my SBOM?
Generate a new SBOM on every build or release. Automate this in CI/CD so the SBOM always reflects the deployed code. For continuous deployment, every deployment should produce an updated SBOM. Store historical SBOMs to track dependency changes over time.
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