Software Composition Analysis (SCA)

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Overview

Software Composition Analysis (SCA) is a critical security practice that automatically identifies and manages open-source components and third-party dependencies in your codebase. Codepure’s SCA solution provides comprehensive visibility into your software supply chain, helping you identify vulnerabilities, license risks, and outdated components before they become security incidents.

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What is SCA?

Codepure’s Software Composition Analysis scans your entire dependency tree to identify security vulnerabilities, licensing issues, and quality concerns in open-source libraries and third-party components. With modern applications containing up to 90% open-source code, SCA has become essential for maintaining secure and compliant software.

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Key Capabilities

• Deep Dependency Analysis: Scans both direct and transitive dependencies
• Real-time Vulnerability Detection: Continuously monitors against multiple vulnerability databases
• License Compliance Management: Identifies potential licensing conflicts and risks
• Automated SBOM Generation: Creates comprehensive Software Bill of Materials for every scan
• Remediation Guidance: Provides actionable fix recommendations with upgrade paths

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How It Works

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Scanning Process

Codepure’s SCA engine employs a multi-stage analysis approach:

1. Discovery Phase
   • Automatically detects and parses dependency manifests (package.json, requirements.txt, pom.xml, go.mod, Gemfile, etc.)
   • Identifies all direct and transitive dependencies
   • Maps the complete dependency tree
2. Analysis Phase
   • Compares dependencies against multiple vulnerability databases (NVD, GitHub Advisory Database, OSV, etc.)
   • Performs license compatibility analysis
   • Checks for outdated or deprecated packages
   • Evaluates dependency health metrics
3. Reporting Phase
   • Generates detailed vulnerability reports with CVSS scores
   • Produces automated SBOM documentation
   • Provides prioritized remediation recommendations
   • Creates compliance reports for regulatory requirements

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Supported Ecosystems

Codepure SCA supports all major package managers and dependency formats:

• JavaScript/Node.js: npm, yarn, pnpm
• Python: pip, pipenv, poetry
• Java: Maven, Gradle
• .NET: NuGet
• Ruby: Bundler
• Go: Go modules
• PHP: Composer
• Rust: Cargo
• Container: Docker, OCI images

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Why SCA is Critical

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Security Benefits

Supply Chain Protection

• Third-party dependencies account for over 70% of modern codebases
• A single vulnerable dependency can compromise your entire application
• Attackers increasingly target popular open-source packages

Proactive Risk Management

• Identify vulnerabilities before they reach production
• Get alerts for newly discovered CVEs affecting your dependencies
• Understand the exploitability and impact of each vulnerability

Compliance Requirements

• Meet regulatory standards (GDPR, HIPAA, PCI DSS)
• Satisfy customer security questionnaires
• Demonstrate due diligence in software security

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Business Impact

• Reduce Security Debt: Address vulnerabilities systematically before they accumulate
• Accelerate Development: Automated scanning eliminates manual security reviews
• Lower Remediation Costs: Fix issues early when they’re less expensive to address
• Improve Customer Trust: Demonstrate commitment to security best practices

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Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)

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What is an SBOM?

A Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is a comprehensive inventory of all software components in your application. Like a list of ingredients on food packaging, an SBOM provides transparency into your software’s composition.

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SBOM Components

Every Codepure-generated SBOM includes:

• Component Identification
  • Package name and version
  • Publisher/author information
  • Download location and checksums
• Dependency Relationships
  • Direct vs. transitive dependencies
  • Dependency tree visualization
  • Version constraints and conflicts
• Security Information
  • Known vulnerabilities (CVEs)
  • CVSS scores and severity ratings
  • Available patches and updates
• License Details
  • License types for each component
  • License compatibility analysis
  • Compliance obligations

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SBOM Formats

Codepure supports industry-standard SBOM formats:

• SPDX: Software Package Data Exchange
• CycloneDX: Full-stack bill of materials standard
• JSON/CSV: Custom formats for integration

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Why SBOMs Matter

Regulatory Compliance

• Required by Executive Order 14028 for federal software suppliers
• Mandated by FDA for medical device software
• Expected by EU Cyber Resilience Act

Incident Response

• Quickly identify affected systems when new vulnerabilities emerge
• Accelerate patching and remediation efforts
• Provide transparency to customers and stakeholders

Supply Chain Security

• Track component provenance
• Monitor for suspicious changes
• Validate software integrity

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Using Codepure SCA

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Quick Start Guide

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1. Initiate Scan

Navigate to your project dashboard and select the repository to scan:

• Select your target project from the project list
• Choose SCA from the scanner options
• Configure scan parameters (optional)
• Click Start Scanning to begin analysis

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2. Review Results

Access comprehensive vulnerability findings and dependency insights:

• Click on the project name to view scan results
• Select Full Result for detailed vulnerability information
• Review severity ratings and CVSS scores
• Explore remediation recommendations

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3. Generate SBOM

Download your Software Bill of Materials for compliance and documentation:

• Locate the Download SBOM button in the results view
• Select your preferred format (SPDX, CycloneDX, JSON)
• Save the SBOM for compliance records
• Share with stakeholders as needed

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Advanced Features

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Vulnerability Prioritization

Codepure uses intelligent prioritization to help you focus on what matters:

• Exploitability Analysis: Identifies actively exploited vulnerabilities
• Reachability Assessment: Determines if vulnerable code paths are actually used
• Business Context: Considers the criticality of affected components
• Fix Availability: Prioritizes vulnerabilities with available patches

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Continuous Monitoring

• Automated Rescanning: Schedule regular dependency checks
• Real-time Alerts: Get notified of new vulnerabilities
• Dependency Updates: Track when new versions become available
• Policy Enforcement: Block builds that violate security policies

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Integration Capabilities

Seamlessly integrate SCA into your development workflow:

• CI/CD Integration: Automated scanning in your pipeline
• IDE Plugins: Real-time feedback while coding
• API Access: Programmatic access to scan results
• Webhook Notifications: Alert your team instantly
• Ticketing Integration: Auto-create issues in Jira, GitHub, etc.

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Best Practices

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Scanning Strategy

1. Scan Early and Often
   • Run SCA scans on every commit
   • Include SCA in pull request checks
   • Perform deep scans before releases
2. Maintain Dependency Hygiene
   • Regularly update dependencies
   • Remove unused packages
   • Minimize dependency depth
3. Establish Policies
   • Define acceptable risk levels
   • Set license compliance rules
   • Create remediation SLAs

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Remediation Workflow

1. Triage: Assess vulnerability severity and exploitability
2. Prioritize: Focus on critical and high-severity issues first
3. Remediate: Apply patches, upgrade versions, or implement workarounds
4. Verify: Rescan to confirm successful remediation
5. Document: Update SBOM and compliance records

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Team Collaboration

• Developer Training: Educate teams on secure dependency management
• Security Champions: Designate SCA experts in each team
• Regular Reviews: Schedule dependency health check meetings
• Knowledge Sharing: Document lessons learned and best practices

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Compliance and Standards

Codepure SCA helps you meet various compliance requirements:

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Industry Standards

• OWASP Top 10: A9 - Using Components with Known Vulnerabilities
• PCI DSS: Requirement 6.2 - Vulnerability Management
• ISO 27001: A.12.6.1 - Management of Technical Vulnerabilities
• NIST Cybersecurity Framework: ID.RA-1, ID.SC-2

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Regulatory Requirements

• EU Cyber Resilience Act: SBOM requirements
• FDA Medical Device Cybersecurity: Component transparency
• Executive Order 14028: Software supply chain security

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Metrics and Reporting

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Key Performance Indicators

Track your security posture with comprehensive metrics:

• Vulnerability Metrics
  • Mean Time to Detect (MTTD)
  • Mean Time to Remediate (MTTR)
  • Vulnerability density per project
  • Critical vulnerability trends
• Dependency Health
  • Percentage of outdated dependencies
  • License compliance rate
  • Technical debt accumulation
  • Update frequency

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Executive Dashboards

Generate reports for stakeholders showing:

• Overall security posture
• Compliance status
• Risk trends over time
• Remediation progress

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Getting Started

Ready to secure your dependencies with Codepure SCA?

1. Configure Your First Scan: Set up your repository for scanning
2. Review Initial Results: Understand your current security posture
3. Create Remediation Plan: Prioritize and address vulnerabilities
4. Establish Policies: Define your security and compliance requirements
5. Integrate into CI/CD: Automate scanning in your pipeline

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Support and Resources

• Documentation: Comprehensive guides and API references
• Video Tutorials: Step-by-step walkthroughs
• Community Forum: Connect with other Codepure users
• Support Team: Get help from our security experts

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Codepure SCA - Securing your software supply chain, one dependency at a time.