Software Composition Analysis (SCA) is a security practice that identifies open-source and third-party components within software applications, analyzing them for vulnerabilities, licensing risks, and compliance issues.
SCA tools automatically scan source code, binaries, containers, and dependencies, mapping them against known vulnerabilities, such as those listed in the Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures (CVE) database.
SCA is critical because modern applications rely heavily on third-party code, making it essential for security teams to understand what’s inside their software and whether those components introduce risk.
As organizations increasingly adopt open-source components and third-party libraries, they inherit security risks, licensing challenges, and compliance obligations that often go undetected. Without visibility into these components, organizations face:
Increased attack surfaces – Cybercriminals frequently exploit unpatched open-source dependencies (e.g., Log4j, OpenSSL).
Compliance violations – Many organizations unknowingly violate licensing agreements by using components with restrictive terms.
Slow vulnerability response – Without an automated inventory, it’s difficult to identify and remediate vulnerabilities quickly.
Regulatory challenges – Compliance frameworks like Executive Order 14028 and the Cyber Resilience Act mandate software supply chain security measures, including SCA.
Most SCA tools focus solely on source code, providing a one-time snapshot of software components. However, NetRise extends beyond traditional SCA by analyzing compiled binaries, firmware, and real-time executing software—offering deeper visibility into what’s actually running across IT, OT, IoT, and cloud environments.
With NetRise, organizations can:
Analyze software beyond source code – Identify vulnerabilities in compiled applications, firmware, and embedded systems, not just open-source codebases.
Map dependencies in real-time – Understand how components interact and whether they introduce risk at runtime.
Track software provenance – Identify who contributed to each component and whether they have ties to past supply chain compromises.
Automate risk correlation – Detect vulnerable components before they’re exploited, ensuring proactive security measures.
By integrating NetRise’s advanced software analysis, organizations don’t just perform SCA—they secure their software supply chain from the ground up