Vulnerability Management: Do You Know What Is Inside the Software You Use?

Applications are built on open-source libraries, cloud services, APIs, plugins and software packages prepared by different teams. This structure speeds up the development process.

However, at the same time, it creates an area of risk that can easily be overlooked.

Because every component you use also brings code that you did not write directly into your system.

Why Is a Single Component So Important?

Log4Shell was one of the best-known examples of this. The vulnerability in the widely used Log4j library could allow attackers to execute code remotely on affected systems.

The issue affected not only a single software company, but also many systems that used this library directly or indirectly.

The main lesson here is simple: The fact that an application's own code is secure does not mean that the entire system is secure.

Similar risks do not arise only in software libraries. In Kubernetes environments, access permissions defined more broadly than necessary may cause users or applications to access resources they do not need.

Kubernetes' own security guidance also recommends arranging RBAC permissions according to the principle of least privilege and taking the possibility of privilege escalation into account.

Cloud storage areas accidentally left open to the internet are another part of the same picture. Sometimes, a complex attack is not required for a major data breach; a single overlooked setting may be enough.

What Does an SBOM Do?

At this point, the Software Bill of Materials, or SBOM, comes into play.

We can think of an SBOM as a detailed inventory of the components used within an application. It shows which library, package or version is used and where. CISA's 2025 SBOM study also emphasizes that this inventory helps organizations identify vulnerabilities, assess risk and make faster decisions.

When a new vulnerability is announced, the first question is usually:

"Do we have this component?"

If there is an up-to-date SBOM, teams do not need to search through different systems for days to find the answer to this question. It can be seen more quickly which product is affected, which version is being used and which system needs to be updated first.

An Inventory Alone Is Not Enough

Of course, listing a component does not eliminate the risk.

An SBOM must be used together with regular security scans, update processes, access controls and vulnerability management. An inventory that is not kept up to date quickly stops reflecting the actual system.

The starting point of vulnerability management is not installing a patch, but knowing what is inside the system.

Because you cannot update, monitor or quickly remove a component whose existence you are not aware of when necessary.

Disclaimer

This article is for informational purposes only. It does not constitute cybersecurity, legal or compliance advice. Each organization should evaluate its own software environment, risks and security requirements with qualified professionals.