Software composition analysis (SCA) definition

Software composition analysis (SCA) is a cybersecurity process that identifies and manages open source components within software applications. By scanning for project dependencies in the code, SCA tools detect vulnerabilities, license compliance issues, and outdated libraries. These automated tools help developers mitigate risks and maintain software security and legality throughout the software development lifecycle.

Importance of software composition analysis (SCA)

Open source is foundational to modern app development. In fact, the vast majority of modern code—up to 94%—is made up of third-party, open source components. As development teams continue to build more complex, cloud-native apps using open source, application security testing must be given top priority.

Due to the sheer volume of third-party components in any given codebase, software applications are becoming more and more difficult to manually vet and secure—which is where SCA comes in. SCA software identifies, manages, and helps remediate any security risks or compliance issues among your open source components through a series of automated checks. They are indispensable tools for any developer looking to build more secure software faster.

How does SCA work?

Software composition analysis tools (SCA) tools are designed to automate and streamline the process of identifying and managing dependencies, in turn maximizing overall efficiency. Here is a high-level overview of how software composition analysis (SCA) software works:

1. The developer uses code scanning tools to test their application.

2. The SCA scanning tool scans for open source components in the codebase.

   1. Static SCA, or manifest scanning, looks for components in the source code using build manifest files.

   2. Dynamic SCA, or binary scanning, looks for components in real time by scanning the binary code, which can be accessed in testing or production.

3. The SCA tool creates a software bill of materials (SBOM), or a detailed inventory of your application’s dependencies. The SBOM includes details about the location and component version, as well as licensing information.

4. The SCA tool compares the SBOM against common vulnerabilities and exposures (CVEs), a public database for security vulnerabilities, as well as private databases.

5. The tool compiles a list of vulnerabilities, prioritized by threat scores, based on the team’s compliance policies.

6. The SCA tool provides next steps for mitigation and remediation.

Key features and benefits of SCA

Software composition analysis (SCA) tools empower developers by providing them with key features and benefits:

• Vulnerability detection: SCA software finds dependencies that are outdated or contain a known vulnerability across open source components. This is achieved by comparing its findings against public and private databases, giving developers better visibility into potential risks that may arise.

• Outdated component identification: Third-party components should be updated regularly or else they could pose a security risk. SCA tools find the outdated components in your code, then assist with remediation.

• Compliance verification: In addition to identifying vulnerabilities across components, organizations use SCA tools to keep track of licensing information and verify compliance requirements.

• Automation: SCA tools rely on automated processes that help streamline the entire testing process. This, in turn, can lead to faster, more secure development, as well as greater developer satisfaction.

• Better software quality: SCA tools help identify the dependencies in your codebase are being managed properly, and that you have a deeper understanding of your software supply chain, resulting in better software quality and performance.

Integration of SCA with DevSecOps and CI/CD pipelines

In a modern DevOps or DevSecOps environment, software composition analysis (SCA) tools work alongside CI/CD pipelines to identify and assess security vulnerabilities early on. Together, these tools are a part of the “shift left” paradigm, an approach to security that incorporates quality assurance and performance testing throughout the entire software development lifecycle, from start to finish.

Integrating your SCA tool with the rest of the pipeline makes it easier for developers to embrace a culture where code security tools are already embedded in their workflow. By running checks right from the beginning, SCA tools allow developers to effectively manage and prioritize vulnerabilities, maintain license compliance, and help build more secure apps without compromising quality.

Challenges of software composition analysis (SCA)

Like any development tool, software composition analysis (SCA) tools come with their own set of challenges:

• Lack of visibility around transitive dependencies: SCA tools can help to identify dependencies, but because dependencies may often have their own dependencies buried beneath layers of code, it can be difficult to identify and secure them all.

• The ability to understand dependencies: To understand the logic that governs dependencies, SCA tools need to account for the entire ecosystem. Factors such as package resolution, for instance, influence how vulnerabilities are identified and handled.

• Vulnerability management: SCA tools often find large volumes of vulnerabilities, resulting in a backlog that spans thousands of issues. This can make it difficult to prioritize remediation tasks, leading to overload.

• Lack of processes and resources: Due to lack of manpower, resources, and security expertise, development teams may find it difficult to successfully incorporate SCA processes into their workflow at a timely pace.

Implementing SCA in software development

In modern development, software composition analysis (SCA) is an essential part of a winning application security (AppSec) strategy, which is why it’s important to choose a solution that can be easily implemented into your workflow.

Here are some software composition analysis best practices to consider:

• Find a developer-friendly tool: Your chosen SCA solution should work seamlessly with your team’s existing development workflow. Embedding SCA into your CI/CD pipeline makes it easy for developers to prioritize app security.

• Set up automated scans: Automated scans proactively test and monitor your code for errors. Your SCA solution should allow you to perform these scans at regular intervals throughout the software development lifecycle.

• Look for robust reporting: Your SCA solution should provide accurate reports on your security practices. This includes SBoMs that provide detailed summaries of your components and give you greater insight around your dependencies.

• Strengthen your security and compliance policies: Once you’ve gained greater visibility of your security posture, you’ll want to establish guidelines to keep your software protected. SCA tools, for instance, can group levels of vulnerabilities or types of licenses together based on compliance levels. They can also block these types of components from being deployed entirely.

Future trends of software composition analysis (SCA)

In the past, developers have relied on multiple open source and commercial SCA tools to scan and better secure their code, but doing so took them out of their productivity flow.

Today’s most exciting software composition analysis (SCA) tools, like GitHub and GitHub Advanced Security, are embedded right into your workflow. By providing an integrated solution, GitHub keeps developers in their preferred coding workflows for a wide variety of use cases, reducing the need for third-party, best-of-breed tools. As a result, the solution delivers 7x faster remediation rates than its competitors.

With the growing adoption of open source software and technology comes a rise in high-profile security breaches. Luckily, SCA tools are evolving to meet the challenge.

SCA tools and solutions

Considering the volume of third-party components in modern app development, software developers now consider automated SCA tools—and code scanning tools in general—a necessity for achieving greater visibility into their codebase throughout the entire software development lifecycle.

For organizations looking to streamline development, maintain compliance, and enhance the overall security posture of your software, SCA is an invaluable tool.