Webinar

Setting Up Your OSS Management Process

Learn how to build a scalable OSS management process, improve SBOM compliance, reduce risk, and apply real-world best practices from industry experts.

Original Air Date: November 22, 2024

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In this Webinar

Overview

In a world where software supply chain attacks, shifting regulations, and exploding open source usage are redefining risk, software producers can no longer afford to treat open source management as an afterthought. This webinar dives deep into how modern organizations are building scalable, automated OSS management processes that keep pace with today’s regulatory and security pressures. 

You’ll learn why SBOMs have become mission‑critical for transparency, customer trust, and competitive advantage—and what’s holding most companies back from using them effectively. Through real-world examples, you’ll see how teams are reducing technical debt, tightening security posture, and transforming compliance from a burden into a value driver. The session breaks down the essential components of a solid open-source policy, the role of tooling, and how to eliminate the bottlenecks that slow down development. You’ll uncover practical steps for integrating SBOMs into your build pipelines, preparing for upcoming mandates, and responding rapidly when the next vulnerability hits the headlines. 

Whether you're building your OSS process from scratch or leveling up an existing program, this webinar will equip you with the clarity, strategy, and actionable best practices needed to modernize your approach. It’s a must‑watch for software producers ready to protect their products, accelerate delivery, and build trust with customers in an increasingly complex ecosystem.

Recap

Key Themes and Takeaways

The Rapid Growth of Open Source and the Rising Risk Landscape

The webinar begins by addressing the explosive growth of open source usage in modern applications, where the majority of code now comes from third‑party or community-driven components. This shift unlocks enormous innovation and development speed but also introduces significant security and compliance risks when not properly managed. The conversation highlights how the sophistication of cyberattacks has increased, making visibility into open source dependencies more critical than ever.

Why SBOMs Are Now Essential, Not Optional

The session explores how Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) have become foundational to transparency and trust in software. SBOMs function as a complete inventory of all components within an application, enabling software producers to quickly assess exposure to vulnerabilities, understand licensing obligations, and provide downstream customers with assurance. They also play a crucial role in accelerating response and remediation when new security issues emerge.

Regulatory Pressure and Global Mandates Driving Change

Attendees learn about the emerging regulatory landscape across the U.S. and Europe, where governments and industries are increasing expectations for software supply chain transparency. The discussion emphasizes that mandates such as the Cyber Resilience Act and sector-specific regulations are rapidly shifting SBOMs and open source governance from “best practice” to “business requirement.” Organizations that build processes now will be better prepared for compliance and customer scrutiny later.

Common Pitfalls That Undermine OSS Management Programs

The webinar identifies the frequent missteps companies make when trying to manage open source, including relying too heavily on tools without establishing policies, lacking licensing expertise, failing to define roles, and missing executive sponsorship. These gaps often cause organizations to struggle with fragmentation, inconsistent decision-making, and stalled progress. The content reinforces that successful open source management requires clear governance and cultural alignment—not just technology.

Building a Scalable, Automated Process for OSS and SBOM Governance

A detailed walkthrough illustrates how mature organizations design scalable OSS programs through centralized policies, component databases, automated audits, and structured workflows. By validating data accuracy and cross-referencing dependencies, these organizations reduce manual overhead and empower engineering teams to move faster without compromising compliance. The session underscores that automation is essential to keeping pace with modern development velocity.

Real-World Lessons From Implementing Open Source Compliance Programs

The webinar shares contrasting examples from global enterprises and smaller, highly regulated software companies to show the flexibility of OSS governance models. These examples reveal how transparency, structured processes, and SBOM readiness can create competitive advantages—especially in procurement scenarios where trust and due diligence matter. The lesson is universal: any software producer, regardless of size, can build a strong open source management foundation.

The Critical Role of Policies, Training, and Cross-Functional Alignment

A recurring theme is that policies and people are just as important as tools. The discussion highlights how organizations benefit from clear component-usage rules, defined escalation paths, and ongoing training for developers. By involving legal, security, engineering, product, and procurement teams, companies create cohesive programs that minimize confusion, prevent rework, and support consistent decision-making across the product lifecycle.

Preparing for Vulnerability Response and Reducing Technical Debt

The session emphasizes that the true value of SBOMs becomes clear during high-stakes security incidents. With accurate SBOM data, software producers can quickly determine if they are affected, understand the scope of risk, and take action faster. This proactive approach prevents the accumulation of compliance and security debt that can slow innovation and create costly future disruptions.

Strategic Steps to Begin or Mature an OSS Management Program

The webinar concludes with a clear roadmap for organizations at any maturity level, including establishing ingestion rules, building a golden repository of approved components, integrating scanning into CI/CD pipelines, training engineering teams, and consistently generating SBOMs. Each step helps organizations prepare for regulatory requirements, respond effectively to vulnerabilities, and build durable trust with customers and partners.

Frequently Asked Questions

Open source has become the backbone of modern software, often representing the majority of an application’s codebase. With this reliance comes significant exposure to security vulnerabilities, licensing risks, and supply chain weaknesses. Prioritizing OSS management helps companies proactively identify and mitigate these challenges before they impact customers. It also strengthens product quality, supports faster releases, and reduces the long-term cost of technical debt.

SBOMs offer full transparency into the components and dependencies that make up an application, which is critical for assessing risk. As cyber threats increase and regulations tighten, SBOMs allow companies to quickly determine whether they’re affected by new vulnerabilities. They also help customers evaluate the integrity and safety of the software they purchase. Ultimately, SBOMs support trust, compliance, and efficient vulnerability response.

Global regulations are increasingly requiring visibility into software supply chains, making SBOMs and vulnerability reporting mandatory rather than optional. These rules aim to standardize how companies track, disclose, and respond to security risks in their software. For software producers, this means setting up repeatable processes that meet audit and customer expectations. Preparing now helps avoid compliance gaps and prevents delays in selling into regulated markets.

Many organizations struggle due to missing or unclear policies, inconsistent licensing knowledge, and siloed responsibilities across teams. Overreliance on tooling without supporting process also leads to frustration and stalled adoption. Without governance in place, engineering teams often face delays, rework, and uncertainty about what they’re allowed to use. Addressing these gaps requires a combination of training, cross‑functional collaboration, and well‑defined workflows.

Stronger OSS governance reduces the risk of product recalls, emergency patches, and reputational damage—all of which can directly impact revenue. By maintaining clean, compliant, and secure codebases, companies shorten sales cycles and build customer trust. This is especially valuable when selling into regulated industries where transparency is prioritized. A proactive OSS strategy helps avoid costly disruptions and improves long‑term product scalability.

Automation enables continuous scanning, real‑time visibility, and consistent enforcement of policies across development pipelines. Instead of relying on manual review, which can bottleneck delivery, teams can automatically detect issues as they arise. This leads to earlier remediation, fewer release delays, and higher-quality releases. Automation also ensures that SBOMs are updated accurately for every build, reducing operational overhead.

Smaller teams often have limited resources, which makes avoiding technical debt even more important. SBOMs help them stay ahead of vulnerabilities and licensing issues that could derail growth or damage credibility. Implementing governance early lays a foundation that scales as the company grows. It also helps them compete in enterprise procurement, where security and compliance documentation is increasingly required.

Effective OSS governance requires contributions from engineering, legal, security, product, and procurement teams. Each team brings expertise that helps shape policies, assess risks, and ensure that decisions are consistent across the organization. When these groups operate in alignment, the result is faster decision-making and fewer compliance bottlenecks. Strong collaboration creates a resilient, scalable program that supports both innovation and protection.

Preparation starts with having accurate, up-to-date SBOMs and automated scanning integrated into development workflows. This allows teams to quickly identify whether affected components exist within their products. Fast response minimizes service disruptions, protects customers, and reduces pressure on engineering teams. Companies that build strong processes upfront are far better equipped to navigate urgent security incidents.

The foundation begins with creating a clear OSS policy that defines which licenses are acceptable, how components are vetted, and how vulnerabilities are handled. From there, companies can establish a central repository of approved components and integrate scanning tools into CI/CD pipelines. Training developers ensures consistent adoption and reduces confusion about compliance requirements. Over time, generating SBOMs for every release becomes standard practice, enabling transparency and scalability.

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