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Software Composition Analysis (SCA)

Software Composition Analysis (SCA) is the process of identifying and managing risks in open-source dependencies, ensuring applications remain secure and compliant as developers increasingly rely on third-party libraries.

What is SCA?How it typically works?Common techniquesImpactFurther reading

What is SCA?

Modern applications often include hundreds of open-source components. While this accelerates development, it also introduces risks when dependencies contain known vulnerabilities or incompatible licenses. SCA tools help identify these issues, track versions, and alert developers when updates are required. For SecOps, SCA is essential for securing the software supply chain, preventing attackers from exploiting outdated or malicious libraries embedded in applications.

How it typically works?

  1. Dependency discovery: SCA scans application manifests, lock files, and binaries to identify all third-party components.
  2. Vulnerability matching: discovered components are compared against databases like NVD or vendor advisories.
  3. License analysis: tools assess license obligations and compliance risks.
  4. Risk scoring: vulnerabilities are ranked by severity, exploitability, and application context.
  5. Remediation guidance: developers receive recommendations to upgrade or replace insecure dependencies.

Some advanced SCA tools also provide real-time alerts for new vulnerabilities as soon as they are published, enabling faster patching cycles.

Common techniques

  • Dependency scanning: analyze manifests such as package.json or requirements.txt.
  • Binary analysis: detect libraries in compiled code where manifests are missing.
  • Vulnerability databases: match findings to CVEs and advisories.
  • License compliance checks: ensure software does not violate open-source licensing terms.
  • Supply chain defense: detect malicious packages uploaded to public repositories.
  • Integration with CI/CD: enforce checks automatically in pipelines.

Impact

SCA reduces the risk of known vulnerabilities being introduced into applications through third-party libraries. It also prevents compliance issues that could lead to legal or reputational consequences.

However, SCA tools can generate noise if they flag every outdated dependency. SecOps teams must work with developers to prioritize issues based on exploitability and business impact. As software supply chain attacks increase, SCA is no longer optional but a critical element of AppSec programs.

Further reading

  • OWASP: Software Composition Analysis. Read more
  • NIST: Software Supply Chain Security. Read more
  • Synopsys: What is SCA? Read more
  • Snyk: Dependency security explained. Read more
  • Sonatype: Supply chain security risks. Read more

Related topics

SASTDASTContainer Security