Jan 6, 2025 2:15:18 PM | Product Security Software Visibility is the Number 1 Priority – NetRise is the Leader in Software Visibility for Improving Supply Chain Security

Introduction: Why Software Visibility is Crucial to Supply Chain Security

Software is the backbone that powers every organization’s operations. From third-party applications and open-source libraries to in-house developed code and firmware, organizations rely on a wide variety of software to fuel their businesses. But for enterprise organizations, this software is often nothing more than a ‘black box’ – a visibility blind spot that must be addressed.

Enterprise organizations place their trust in software, that it’s secure and free from vulnerabilities. Yet, the reality is far more complicated. Recent high-profile software supply chain breaches have revealed the dangers of operating in the dark. Blind spots in software components—whether hidden in third-party libraries, firmware, or open-source code—leave organizations exposed to serious threats.

This is where NetRise steps in. As the leader in providing complete software visibility, NetRise offers organizations the most comprehensive view into the software that makes up their supply chain. Software visibility is not just a buzzword; it’s a foundational element in vulnerability and risk management in the enterprise. Without knowing what’s inside your software, you cannot secure it.

At NetRise, we’re passionate about changing this reality. We believe that software visibility should be a number one (#1) priority when it comes to securing your software supply chain. With our platform, you gain unparalleled insights into all software artifacts (including compiled / built software and third party / vendor software), giving you the ability to proactively identify risks. From proprietary extraction methods to advanced binary analysis and reverse engineering, NetRise provides the most complete Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) in the industry.

In a world where software is the key to success, NetRise empowers you to take control of your software supply chain security, ensuring you see—and secure—every component / artifact. If you’re concerned about software supply chain security – and by association software visibility – let’s explore why NetRise should be at the top of your priority list.

What Software Visibility Means and Why It Matters

What is software visibility? At its core, software visibility is about building a complete understanding of all the software components being used in your organization—this includes proprietary software, third-party libraries, open-source components, and any embedded software in hardware devices.

And software isn’t static. It evolves, interacts with other systems, and relies on a network of dependencies. Each piece of software in your supply chain could have its own intricate web of dependencies, amplifying risks if those components are not properly understood or monitored. In fact, in this prior NetRise blog post titled “Today’s Lack of Software Visibility and the Implications” we see the following:

Read more in the NetRise Supply Chain Visibility and Risk Study, Edition 1: Networking Equipment; Q3 2024

Why does software visibility matter? The role of software visibility in identifying and managing risks cannot be overstated. By having a complete inventory of software components, organizations can adopt an inside-out approach to security. After-all, vulnerabilities exist in software, so knowing what software components you have is the foundational starting point for vulnerability and risk management.

At NetRise, we help customers use our platform to improve their software visibility and their vulnerability and risk management effectiveness. Our platform provides the most detailed software bill of materials (SBOM) in the industry, ensuring that every component—no matter how deeply embedded—is accounted for. By delivering full transparency into your software supply chain, NetRise empowers organizations to proactively identify and respond to the most important, improving overall security and reducing the attack surface.

In a world where software is the engine that drives business success, achieving comprehensive software visibility isn’t optional—it’s essential. And NetRise is here to make it possible.

NetRise: Providing the Most Complete SBOM in the Industry

An incomplete view of your software supply chain can leave your organization vulnerable and waste your time in responding to vulnerabilities that might not be that important. The SBOM has become the standard for understanding the components within your software, but not all SBOMs are created equal. This is where NetRise sets itself apart, providing the most complete SBOM in the industry through unmatched visibility and analysis.

• Better Component Identification
  The accuracy of your SBOM is only as good as your ability to identify each software component. NetRise leverages advanced binary analysis techniques—such as function hashing, partial library matching, and symbol-less analysis—to deliver unparalleled component identification. By using these advanced methods, NetRise cuts through the noise, reducing false positives and ensuring that you have an accurate picture of what’s running in your software environment. With fewer false alarms and more precise data, your security team can focus on what matters: responding to the most critical risks.
  
  
• Better File Extraction
  One of the biggest challenges in software analysis is the inability to see every file in the software package. Most tools only scratch the surface, leaving critical files undetected. NetRise’s proprietary extraction engine solves this by delivering a much more comprehensive file listing, uncovering files that upstream manufacturers often fail to disclose. This means you see everything, from standard files to deeply hidden components. The result? A more complete understanding of your software than you can get anywhere else.
  
  
• Automated Reverse Engineering
  What happens when software components are deeply embedded within firmware or complex packages? Traditional methods might miss them entirely. But with NetRise, the platform’s automated reverse engineering capabilities allow it to deconstruct and analyze software at a deeper level. This means that even components hidden in the most complex architectures are uncovered. NetRise doesn’t just identify top-level files—it goes deep into the architecture to provide visibility into third-party components, open-source libraries, and dependencies that other tools can’t reach.

This level of detail gives you a clear, comprehensive map of your software landscape, allowing you to understand the full extent of your software dependencies and their associated risks. In essence, NetRise’s SBOM provides you with everything you need to see, assess, and secure your software supply chain.

The foundation of the NetRise Platform (pictured below) is built around our industry leading software composition analysis elements highlighted in green.

Proving Our Technology Lead

NetRise isn’t just another player in the software visibility space— we are the leader. And we prove this fact every day in customer tests and proofs of value. With our proprietary extraction engine, advanced binary analysis, and automated reverse engineering, the NetRise Platform delivers the most complete and accurate SBOM available today. And with this leading software visibility you can be certain you’ll have the best view possible of the vulnerabilities and non-CVE risks available. In today’s world of increasing supply chain attacks and software vulnerabilities, you can’t afford to ignore or miss software vulnerabilities and risks. 

Let’s look at some comparisons.

• Comparing Results Analyzing 5 Different OT/IoT Router Firmware Images
  Recently, Forescout and Finite State jointly published a report analyzing a few popular OT/IoT router firmware images.¹ Each of the images were analyzed using the Finite State platform and a custom script to collect data on binary hardening practices.
  
  To compare results on an apples-to-apples basis, NetRise decided to analyze three of the same firmware images where we could 100% confirm the exact same images were being compared. Below are the results.

For firmware images analyzed, we see that NetRise successfully identifies between 4% and 25% more software components than the combined automated/manual approach used by Forescout and Finite State.

We cannot compare the qualitative accuracy of these component findings from the data available in the original Forescout / Finite State report. But NetRise is confident we deliver not only deeper software component identification, but also more accurate results as well. We encourage you to put us to the test for yourself.

• Vulnerability Findings Versus Traditional, Network-Based Vulnerability Scanning
  Not only does the NetRise platform deliver better software component visibility, but that software visibility also translates into much more complete and much richer vulnerability information. In the recent NetRise Supply Chain Visibility and Risk Study, we analyzed 100 firmware images (not just 5 hand-picked images) across 5 different classes of networking equipment including – routers, switches, firewalls, virtual private network (VPN) gateways, and wireless access points.²
  
  From this analysis we found that the vulnerability risks are on average 200 times greater than what traditional network-based vulnerability scanners would lead one to believe.
  
  We found that the average network equipment device had 1,120 known vulnerabilities in the underlying software components, with over 1/3 of them being more than 5 years old and some even more than 10 years old.
  
  

Conclusion: Why Software Visibility Should Be Your Number 1 Priority

In today’s rapidly evolving cybersecurity landscape, software visibility isn’t a luxury—it’s a necessity. The increasing frequency of software supply chain attacks and hidden vulnerabilities means that organizations can no longer afford to operate in the dark. You need to see every component, understand every risk, and act decisively.

NetRise stands alone in delivering the most complete Software Bill of Materials (SBOM), thanks to its superior file extraction, component identification, and automated reverse engineering. No other platform provides the level of insight, accuracy, and control that NetRise does. By empowering you with unparalleled visibility, NetRise enables your organization to secure its software supply chain and stay ahead of potential threats.

It's time to move beyond blind trust in your software. With NetRise, you can trust—but more importantly, you can verify. Take control of your software security today and experience the power of true visibility.

Endnotes

1. “Rough Around the Edges”, Forescout and Finite State, August 6, 2024.
2. “Supply Chain Visibility and Risk Study”, NetRise, July 24, 2024.