From JSON to XML: Transforming SBOMs for Enhanced Software Insights through cyclonedx-cli tool

In the evolving landscape of software development, the need for transparency and interoperability has never been more crucial than before. A software bill of material (SBOM) is a comprehensive inventory of a software application’s components. As organizations strive to enhance their understanding of software supply chains, the ability to convert SBOM formats becomes a pivotal aspect. In this blog post, we delve into the world of converting SBOMs, specifically transitioning from the widely used JSON format to the versatile XML.

CycloneDX is a lightweight software bill of materials (SBOM) standard for application security contexts and supply chain component analysis. It produces a standard way of describing components, their dependencies, and how they are assembled in a software application.

The CycloneDX CLI tool currently supports BOM analysis, modification, diffing, merging, format conversion, signing, and verification.

Command:

cyclonedx-cli convert — input-file sbom.json — output-file sbom.xml

This work has been supported in part by the Energy Transition Fund of the FPS Economy of Belgium through the CYPRESS project, and in part by the VLAIO COOCK program through the IIoT-SBOM project.

Thanks for reading.

Can Özkan