---
title: "Software Supply Chain"
description: "The full lifecycle and pipeline involved in developing, building, packaging, distributing, and deploying software—including dependencies, tools, infrastructure, and people."
canonical_url: "https://fossa.com/glossary/software-supply-chain/"
markdown_url: "https://fossa.com/glossary/software-supply-chain.md"
content_type: "glossary"
language: "en"
date_published: "2023-06-01"
date_modified: "2023-06-01"
organization: "FOSSA"
---

# Software Supply Chain

> The full lifecycle and pipeline involved in developing, building, packaging, distributing, and deploying software—including dependencies, tools, infrastructure, and people.

## What is a Software Supply Chain?

A software supply chain encompasses the entire sequence of processes, tools, and actors involved in the creation and delivery of software, from conception to deployment and maintenance. Like a physical supply chain for manufacturing, it includes all the "ingredients" (code, components, and dependencies), "manufacturing processes" (build systems, CI/CD pipelines), and "distribution channels" (package registries, deployment platforms) that contribute to the final software product.

## Key Components of a Software Supply Chain

1. **Source Code** - The foundation of software development, including both proprietary code and open source dependencies
2. **Development Environment** - The tools, IDEs, and systems used by developers to write and test code
3. **Build Systems** - Tools that compile source code into executable artifacts
4. **Dependencies** - External libraries and packages that the software relies on
5. **CI/CD Pipelines** - Automated systems for integrating, testing, and deploying code
6. **Artifact Repositories** - Storage systems for compiled software and packages
7. **Distribution Mechanisms** - Systems for delivering software to end users
8. **Runtime Environment** - The infrastructure where software runs in production

## Software Supply Chain Security

Software supply chain security has become a critical concern as modern applications often include hundreds or thousands of dependencies, each representing a potential security risk. High-profile attacks like SolarWinds have highlighted the vulnerability of supply chains, leading to initiatives such as:

- Executive Order 14028 on improving the nation's cybersecurity
- The development of SBOM (Software Bill of Materials) standards
- Frameworks like SLSA (Supply chain Levels for Software Artifacts)
- Increased adoption of tools for dependency scanning and vulnerability management

## Best Practices for Supply Chain Management

- Maintain comprehensive inventory of all components (SBOMs)
- Implement least-privilege access controls throughout the pipeline
- Establish trusted sources for dependencies and verify their integrity
- Use reproducible builds to ensure consistency
- Implement code signing for artifacts
- Monitor for vulnerabilities in dependencies
- Create incident response plans specific to supply chain attacks

## Source

Canonical page: https://fossa.com/glossary/software-supply-chain/