• Posted by: Michal Zuberek
• February 21, 2023

Why SBOM Is Not Enough in the Era of Supply Chain Attacks

As cyber-attacks become increasingly sophisticated and frequent, the need for effective cybersecurity measures is more important than ever. We at Forelens have taken an innovative approach to cybersecurity, in which we have developed a new concept called SBOC (Software Bill of Connections), similar to SBOM (Software Bill of Materials) but focusing on applications and their network connections (domains, IP addresses).

While the Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is an essential tool for software supply chain security, it is not sufficient on its own to protect against supply chain attacks. SBOM provides a comprehensive list of all the software components and their dependencies in a system, but it doesn't provide information about the application's network connections. Applications can be altered by attackers either already at a compromised software vendor, or later, by using an exploit. Such alterations are hard to spot and can be maliciously embedded in the SBOM before the application is shipped to the customer. Therefore it's important to extend the scope of SBOM to include network connections, but also to check applications while they’re being used to detect new anomalies.

Supply chain security and 0-day exploit protection in particular are two critical areas of cybersecurity that are becoming increasingly important as cyber threats become more sophisticated. Let's take a closer look at each of these areas and how Forelens is addressing them.

Supply chain security refers to the measures that organizations take to ensure that their software and hardware supply chain is secure. This includes ensuring that all components are free of vulnerabilities and that they haven't been tampered with or compromised by malicious actors. Supply chain attacks have become a major concern in recent years, with attackers targeting software vendors and other third-party suppliers as a way to gain access to their customers' systems.

Forelens is addressing supply chain security through its SBOC approach, which emphasizes transparency in the software ecosystem. By tracking all software applications and their network connections, Forelens can help organizations ensure that their software supply chain is secure and that there are no vulnerabilities or backdoors that could be exploited by attackers.

Another critical area of cybersecurity is 0-day exploit protection. A 0-day exploit is targeting vulnerabilities that are unknown to the software vendor and has not yet been patched. Attackers often use 0-day exploits to gain access to systems and steal data or cause other damage. Protecting against 0-day exploits is challenging, as there may be no known defense against a particular exploit.

Forelens is addressing 0-day exploit protection through its real-time threat intelligence platform and SBOC database. By monitoring network traffic and identifying suspicious behavior, Forelens can detect and respond to potential 0-day exploits before they can cause damage. Additionally, Forelens' software security platform can identify vulnerabilities and potential attack vectors that could be exploited by attackers.

In conclusion, supply chain security and 0-day exploit protection are two critical areas of cybersecurity that are becoming increasingly important in today's threat landscape. Forelens' SBOC approach and real-time threat intelligence platform are designed to address these challenges and help organizations build more secure and resilient software systems. By emphasizing transparency in the software ecosystem and monitoring network traffic for suspicious behavior, Forelens is helping to protect organizations against supply chain attacks and 0-day exploits.