AdvancedTechnical
5 min
Securing the Software Supply Chain
Supply Chain SecurityDevSecOpsDependencies
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Interview Question
What measures would you take to secure the software supply chain from dependency attacks or compromised packages?
Key Points to Cover
- Pin versions and use checksum verification
- Adopt SBOMs and signed artifacts (e.g., Sigstore, Cosign)
- Scan dependencies regularly for vulnerabilities
- Apply zero-trust principles and least privilege in CI/CD
Evaluation Rubric
Mentions version pinning and checksums30% weight
Uses signed artifacts and SBOMs30% weight
Automates dependency scanning20% weight
Applies zero-trust practices20% weight
Hints
- 💡Think SolarWinds, Log4Shell lessons learned.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
- ⚠️Not pinning dependency versions, leading to unpredictable behavior and potential introduction of vulnerable versions.
- ⚠️Neglecting to verify package integrity beyond just downloading from a repository.
- ⚠️Treating SBOM generation as a one-off task rather than an ongoing process.
- ⚠️Relying solely on automated vulnerability scans without human oversight or vetting of new dependencies.
- ⚠️Failing to integrate security checks into the CI/CD pipeline, making them an afterthought.
Potential Follow-up Questions
- ❓How do you manage private package registries?
- ❓What about transitive dependency risks?
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