The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) has released a request for comment, looking for public comments on its latest white paper on software identification ecosystems.
CISA released the white paper – titled Software Identification Ecosystem Option Analysis – on Oct. 26 and seeks comments on the “paths forward identified by the paper and on the analysis of the merits and challenges of the software identifier ecosystems discussed.”
“A more robust software identifier ecosystem must be established for a harmonized software identification ecosystem that facilitates greater automation, inventory visibility, and the multifaceted value proposition of SBOM’s broad adoption,” Sandy Radesky, CISA’s associate director for vulnerability management, said in a press release.
“In our ongoing pursuit to transform vulnerability management, our draft white paper seeks to catalyze community discussion and action by presenting our analysis and paths aimed to address key challenges to software identification,” Radesky added. “We strongly encourage this community to review the paper and provide input that can help collectively strengthen and improve vulnerability management for all organizations.”
The agency said two requirements that are lacking for an effective software identification ecosystem are timely availability of software identifiers across all software items, and software identifiers that support both precision and grouping.
“Each key requirement is treated separately and includes several potential paths; different mechanisms serve different requirements, and there are a variety of ways to mix and match the different requirement paths,” stated the agency.
Interested parties will have until Dec. 11 to send in comments to CISA.
