Build-Time SBOM Generation for Embedded Software
RunSafe generates SBOMs at build-time, giving embedded teams full visibility into software components.
Generate Accurate SBOMs for Embedded Software
Most SBOM tools try to determine what’s in your software after it’s built.
RunSafe analyzes software during compilation to generate complete SBOMs that capture all components and files in a build.
How Build-Time SBOM Generation Works
RunSafe generates CycloneDX SBOMs at build-time and includes all mandatory NTIA minimum elements for compatibility with regulatory reporting requirements.
Dependency Discovery
Reports on all opened files to identify dependencies in your codebase, including static and dynamic libraries.
- Static and dynamic libraries
- Source, header, and compiled files
- Applications
Vulnerability Assessment
Cross-references discovered components against known vulnerability databases to increase security and reduce software supply chain risk.
- CVE mapping
- CVSS scoring
- Real-time risk identification
Standards Compliance
Includes provenance information, like supplier, author, and licenses, to meet compliance with legal and organizational requirements.
- Licenses
- Copyrights
- Authors
- NTIA Minimum Elements
Continuous Monitoring
Integrates with CI/CD pipelines for automated SBOM generation and continuous security monitoring.
- CI/CD integration
- Automated reporting
- No developer disruption
Legacy Software? No Problem.
Requires no
package
manager
Eliminates manual SBOM generation
Reduces false positives & negatives
Supports
complex build environments
Provides 100% visibility into components
“I think this is the only one that is really close to what I imagine as an SBOM for C/C++. It’s really remarkable.”
How Much Visibility Does RunSafe Provide?
RunSafe reports on only the files that go into the final target, for precise SBOMs with detailed provenance information (authors, copyright, licenses).
RunSafe’s SBOM captures both static and dynamic libraries, unlike binary-based SBOMs that only report on dynamic libraries.
RunSafe identifies vulnerabilities in your software, providing full visibility into your software supply chain and potential threats.
Build-Time SBOMs: Your First Line of Defense in Embedded Software Security
FAQs: Build-Time SBOM Generation
What is build-time SBOM generation?
Build-time SBOM generation creates a Software Bill of Materials during the software build process as code is compiled, linked, and packaged.
How is build-time SBOM generation different from traditional SBOM tools?
Traditional SBOM tools typically scan binaries or artifacts after the build, rely on package manager metadata, or infer dependencies.
Build-time SBOM generation observes the build process directly, records what is actually compiled and linked, and produces a deterministic SBOM.
This eliminates guesswork and reduces false positives.
Why is SBOM generation especially difficult for embedded systems?
Embedded environments often don’t use package managers, rely on static libraries, use cross-compilation, or have custom build systems.
These factors make it difficult for traditional tools to accurately identify components, which is why many teams still end up manually creating SBOMs.
Does RunSafe require a package manager to generate SBOMs?
No. RunSafe does not require package managers. It works directly within the build process, making it well-suited for embedded systems, firmware, and custom build environments.
What languages does RunSafe support?
RunSafe supports a wide range of languages and environments, including:
Ada, Assembly, C, C++, Dart, Elixir, Erlang, Go, Haskell, Java, JavaScript, PHP, Python, Ruby, Rust, Swift, and more.
See a full list of supported languages here.
Can SBOMs generated at build time be used for vulnerability management?
Yes, and this is one of the primary benefits.
Because build-time SBOMs are more accurate and consistent, they can be reliably used to:
- Identify vulnerable components
- Assess impact across products
- Prioritize remediation
This is critical for teams using SBOMs as part of ongoing vulnerability management workflows.
How does RunSafe help with regulatory compliance (CRA, FDA, etc.)?
RunSafe helps teams generate consistent, standards-based SBOMs required for regulations such as the EU Cyber Resilience Act (CRA), FDA cybersecurity requirements, and the Army SBOM mandate.
By automating SBOM generation at build time, teams can maintain up-to-date SBOMs across releases without manual effort. Learn more.
Will this impact our build process or developer workflows?
RunSafe integrates directly into existing build pipelines and works with standard tooling.
It is designed to minimize disruption to developers and work with existing build systems. Teams can adopt build-time SBOM generation without changing how they build software.
Generate an SBOM for Embedded Software
Get started with build-time SBOM generation and vulnerability identification for your embedded projects.