CISA Releases Two SBOM Documents

Today, CISA released two community-drafted documents around Software Bill of Materials (SBOM): Types of SBOM documents and Minimum Requirements for Vulnerability Exploitability eXchange (VEX). 

The Types of SBOM document summarizes common types of SBOMs that tools may create in the industry today, along with the data typically presented for each type of SBOM. As software goes from planning to source to build to deployed and used, tools may be able to detect subtle differences in the underlying components. These types will allow for better differentiation of tools and in the broader marketplace.

The Minimum Requirements for VEX document specifies the minimum elements to create a VEX document. This will allow interoperability between different implementations and data formats of VEX. It will also help promote integration of VEX into novel and existing security tools. This document also specifies some optional VEX elements.

Led by CISA, both publications were debated and drafted by a community of industry and government experts with the goal to offer some common guidance and structure for the large and growing global SBOM community.