As India’s digital economy accelerates, so do the risks lurking in the software supply chain. Recognizing this, the Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT-In) has issued comprehensive guidelines on Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) management, and the message is clear: financial institutions must act now.
What’s Driving the Mandate?
Modern software is a complex web of open-source libraries, third-party modules, and proprietary code. Each component introduces potential vulnerabilities, and in sectors like banking and fintech, the stakes couldn’t be higher. CERT-In’s SBOM guidelines aim to bring transparency, traceability, and accountability to this software ecosystem.
For banks, NBFCs, insurance providers, and fintech companies, this isn’t just about compliance. It’s about protecting customer trust, ensuring operational continuity, and staying ahead of evolving cyber threats.
Key Takeaways from CERT-In’s SBOM Guidelines:
- SBOMs are now essential for all software procurement and development.
Organizations must maintain a detailed inventory of every component, including version, origin, and licensing, across the software lifecycle.
- SBOMs support proactive vulnerability management.
By knowing exactly what’s under the hood, security teams can quickly identify and patch known vulnerabilities, reducing exposure to supply chain attacks.
- Multiple SBOM types are recommended.
These include Design, Build, Deployed, and Runtime SBOMs, each offering visibility at different stages of the software lifecycle.
- A phased roadmap is advised.
CERT-In outlines a three-phase maturity model: START (foundational practices), PROGRESS (integration into SDLC), and ADVANCE (automation, incident response, and continuous improvement).
- SBOMs must be updated with every software change.
Whether it’s a patch, upgrade, or new release, the SBOM must reflect the current state of the software.
- SBOMs must be demanded and delivered, whether consuming or developing software.
CERT-In emphasizes a dual responsibility: if your organization is procuring software, you must request a complete SBOM from the vendor. If you’re developing software, it’s imperative to generate and provide a complete SBOM for your application. This ensures both upstream transparency and downstream accountability across the supply chain.
Why This Matters Now
The financial sector is a prime target for cyberattacks, and regulators are responding. CERT-In’s guidelines align with global trends like the U.S. Executive Order on Cybersecurity and the EU’s Cyber Resilience Act. For Indian financial institutions, this is a chance to lead rather than lag.
How Revenera SCA Can Help
Revenera SCA is purpose-built for this moment. Our platform automates SBOM generation, integrates seamlessly into your SDLC, and provides real-time insights into vulnerabilities and license risks. It is built, to not just generate SBOMs, we help you manage them intelligently. Our platform supports ingestion of SBOMs from third-party vendors, giving you a consolidated view of your entire software ecosystem. Once ingested, we automatically map and analyze these components to detect known vulnerabilities, license risks, and compliance issues, even across complex transitive dependencies.
For organizations in the financial sector, this means faster vulnerability response, deeper supply chain visibility, and assurance that both internally developed and externally procured software meet CERT-In’s evolving expectations.
Whether you’re just starting your SBOM journey or advancing towards full-scale, automated compliance, Revenera helps you stay audit-ready, secure, and confident.
