Australia’s Cyber Security Centre has joined 16 international cybersecurity organisations in releasing a comprehensive framework advocating for widespread adoption of Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) as a critical tool for securing global software supply chains. The collaborative guidance, led by the U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and including partners from countries spanning North America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania, presents SBOMs as formal records that document the details and supply chain relationships of software components, functioning as an “ingredients list” for software products to enhance transparency and security across the digital ecosystem.
The framework emphasises that SBOMs provide fundamental value in three core areas: enhanced risk management practices, improved software development processes, and better license management capabilities. Organizations can leverage SBOM transparency to accelerate vulnerability response times, as demonstrated during the Log4Shell incident in December 2021 when organizations with SBOM capabilities reported more efficient identification and remediation compared to those conducting manual searches. The document outlines how SBOMs enable automated mapping of software dependencies to vulnerability databases, allowing for targeted mitigation measures that conserve resources while addressing specific risks more effectively than broad-spectrum security approaches.
The international coalition positions SBOM adoption as integral to the “Secure by Design” approach, aligning with the principle of “Embrace Radical Transparency and Accountability” that encourages software manufacturers to maintain command of their supply chains. The guidance identifies three key stakeholder groups that benefit from SBOM implementation: producers who gain better upstream component tracking, choosers who can make risk-informed procurement decisions, and operators who achieve enhanced visibility for vulnerability management and incident response. National cybersecurity organisations also benefit through improved coordinated vulnerability disclosure and enhanced policy evaluation capabilities, with the framework noting that SBOM adoption strengthens security, reduces risk, and decreases costs across the entire software ecosystem while supporting critical infrastructure protection and public safety initiatives.