What is Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)?

A Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is a structured inventory of the components, libraries, dependencies, versions, and supplier details used to build or run software.

A software bill of materials sbom gives security, IT, procurement, and compliance teams a clearer view of what is inside an application. It helps organizations trace vulnerable components, assess supplier risk, and respond faster when a new software supply chain risk emerges.

How does it work?

An SBOM is usually generated during development, build, release, or deployment using automated tooling. It records component names, versions, licenses, dependency relationships, supplier information, hashes, and other metadata in machine-readable formats such as SPDX or CycloneDX.

A software bill of materials sbom becomes useful when it is connected to vulnerability databases, asset inventory, procurement workflows, and patch processes. Static lists have limited value; operational SBOMs need to be updated as software changes.

SBOM vs VEX

An SBOM lists what software contains. Vulnerability Exploitability eXchange, or VEX, explains whether a known vulnerability is actually exploitable in a specific product or environment.

Organizations often need both. A software bill of materials sbom can reveal that a vulnerable component exists, while VEX can help teams decide whether urgent remediation, compensating controls, or no action is required.

How Hexnode supports Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)

Hexnode supports SBOM-driven security by strengthening endpoint visibility and runtime validation. With Hexnode UEM, teams can monitor managed endpoints, review installed applications, enforce application controls, run compliance checks, deploy patches, and take remote actions when risky software is identified.

This helps close the gap between what an SBOM says should exist and what is actually present on devices. Hexnode can support software supply chain risk workflows by helping IT teams verify exposure, reduce unauthorized software, and keep endpoint remediation consistent.

When should organizations use it?

Organizations should use a software bill of materials sbom when buying software, building applications, managing vendors, responding to vulnerabilities, or proving compliance. It is especially important for regulated industries, critical infrastructure, software vendors, MSPs, and enterprises with heavy open-source or third-party dependency use.

SBOMs should also be used after major releases, emergency patches, mergers, supplier changes, or high-impact vulnerability disclosures. The goal is not documentation alone, but faster risk decisions.