U.S. flag
        An official website of the United States government
          Here’s how you know
        Here’s how you know**Official websites use .gov**
              
              A **.gov** website belongs to an official government organization in the United States.
        **Secure .gov websites use HTTPS**
              
              A **lock** (  A locked padlock
) or **https://** means you’ve safely connected to the .gov website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites. https://www.nist.gov/itl/executive-order-improving-nations-cybersecurity/software-supply-chain-security-guidance-2
  Search NIST
    Search
              Menu

      


Close
    Topics
        All Topics
                                                        Advanced communications
                                                        Artificial intelligence
                                                        Bioscience
                                                        Buildings and construction
                                                        Chemistry
                                                        Climate
                                                        Cybersecurity
                                                        Electronics
                                                        EnergyEnvironment
                                                        Fire
                                                        Forensic science
                                                        Health
                                                        Information technology
                                                        Infrastructure
                                                        Manufacturing
                                                        Materials
                                                        Mathematics and statisticsMetrology
                                                        Nanotechnology
                                                        Neutron research
                                                        Performance excellence
                                                        Physics
                                                        Public safety
                                                        Resilience
                                                        Standards
                                                        Transportation
            Publications
            Labs & Major Programs
        Laboratories
                                Communications Technology Laboratory
                                  Engineering Laboratory
                                  Information Technology Laboratory
                                  Material Measurement Laboratory
                                  Physical Measurement LaboratoryUser Facilities
                                NIST Center for Neutron Research
                                  CNST NanoFab
                                                        Research Test Beds
                                                        Research Projects
                                                        Tools & InstrumentsMajor Programs
                                Baldrige Performance Excellence Program
                                  CHIPS for America Initiative
                                  Manufacturing Extension Partnership (MEP)
                                  Office of Advanced Manufacturing
                                  Special Programs Office
                                  Technology Partnerships Office
            Services & Resources
        Standards and Measurements
                                Calibration Services
                                  Laboratory Accreditation (NVLAP)
                                  Quality System
                                  Standard Reference Materials (SRMs)
                                  Standards.gov
                                  Time Services
                                  Office of Weights and MeasuresSoftware
                                                        Data
                                Chemistry WebBook
                                  National Vulnerability Database
                                  Physical Reference Data
                                  Standard Reference Data (SRD)
                                                        Storefront
                                                        License & PatentsComputer Security Resource Center (CSRC)
                                                        NIST Research Library
            News & Events
        News
                                                        Events
                                                        Blogs
                                                        Feature Stories
                                                        AwardsVideo Gallery
                                                        Image Gallery
                                                        Media Contacts
            About NIST
        About Us
                                Leadership
                                  Organization Structure
                                  Budget & Planning
                                                        Contact Us
                                                        Visit
                                                        Careers
                                Student programsWork with NIST
                                                        History
                                NIST Digital Archives
                                  NIST Museum
                                  NIST and the Nobel
                                                        Educational Resources
 
 Information Technology Laboratory
      Executive Order 14028,  Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity
    
      
  Software Supply Chain Security Guidance
                            Expand or Collapse
          Software Security in Supply Chains
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Guidance, Purpose, Scope, and Audience
                                  EO-Critical Software and Security Measures for EO-Critical Software
                                  Software Cybersecurity for Producers and Users
                                                                Expand or Collapse
                      Attesting to Conformity with Secure Software Development Practices
                                  Software Verification
                                  Evolving Standards, Tools, and Recommended Practices
                                                                Expand or Collapse
                      Software Bill of Materials (SBOM)
                                              Enhanced Vendor Risk Assessments
                                              Open Source Software Controls
                                              Vulnerability Management
                                  Additional Existing Industry Standards, Tools, and Recommended Practices
                                  FAQs
                      Software Cybersecurity for Producers and Purchasers
                      Critical Software
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Critical Software Definition
                                                                Expand or Collapse
                      Introduction
                                              Background & Approach
                                              Definition & Explanatory Material
                                              FAQs
                                  Security Measures for Critical Software Use
                                                                Expand or Collapse
                      Introduction
                                              Purpose & Scope
                                              Security Measures for EO-Critical Software Use
                                              FAQs
                      Software Verification
                                              Expand or Collapse
                Introduction
                                  Background & Approach
                                  Recommended Minimum Standard for Vendor or Developer Verification of Code
                                  FAQs
          Cybersecurity Labeling for Consumers
                            Expand or Collapse
          Consumer Cybersecurity Labeling Pilots: The Approach and Contributions
                      Workshops on Cybersecurity Labeling of Consumer Products
                      IoT Product Criteria
                      Consumer Software Criteria
                      News & Updates
                      Engage
                      Resources
                      FAQs
          Workshops & Call for Papers
          News & Updates
          Engage
          Fact Sheet
          Resources
          FAQs
          Cybersecurity @ NISTSoftware Supply Chain Security Guidance: Terminology

Share
  Facebook
                      Linkedin
                      Twitter
                      Email

Section 4e uses several terms, including “conformity,” “attestation,” and “artifacts.” Because EO 14028 does not define these terms, this guidance presents the following definitions from existing standards and guidance:

***Conformity assessment*** is a “demonstration that specified requirements are fulfilled.” [ISO/IEC 17000] In the context of Section 4e, the requirements are secure software development practices, so conformity assessment is a demonstration that the software producer has followed secure software development practices for their software.
	***Attestation*** is the “issue of a statement, based on a decision, that fulfillment of specified requirements has been demonstrated.” [ISO/IEC 17000]
	If the software producer itself attests that it conforms to secure software development practices, this is known by several terms, including ***first-party attestation***, ***self-attestation***, ***declaration***, and ***supplier’s declaration of conformity (SDoC)***.
		If the software purchaser attests to the software producer’s conformity with secure software development practices, this is known as ***second-party attestation***.
		If an independent third-party attests to the software producer’s conformity with secure software development practices, this is known as ***third-party attestation*** or ***certification***.
	An ***artifact*** is “a piece of evidence.” [adapted from NISTIR 7692] ***Evidence*** is “grounds for belief or disbelief; data on which to base proof or to establish truth or falsehood.” [NIST SP 800-160 Vol. 1] Artifacts provide records of secure software development practices.
	Low-level artifacts will be generated during software development, such as threat models, log entries, source code files, source code vulnerability scan reports, testing results, telemetry, or risk-based mitigation decisions for a particular piece of software. These artifacts may be generated manually or by automated means, and they are maintained by the software producer.
		High-level artifacts may be generated by summarizing secure software development practices derived from the low-level artifacts. An example of a high-level artifact is a publicly accessible document describing the methodology, procedures, and processes a software producer uses for its secure practices for software development.The following subsections of EO 14028 Section 4e use these terms:

*(ii) generating and, when requested by a purchaser, providing artifacts that demonstrate conformance to the processes set forth in subsection (e)(i) of this section;*

*(v) providing, when requested by a purchaser, artifacts of the execution of the tools and processes described in subsection (e)(iii) and (iv) of this section, and making publicly available summary information on completion of these actions, to include a summary description of the risks assessed and mitigated;*

*(ix) attesting to conformity with secure software development practices;*

In other words, when a federal agency (purchaser) acquires software or a product containing software, the agency should receive attestation from the software producer that the software’s development complies with government-specified secure software development practices. The federal agency might also request artifacts from the software producer that support its attestation of conformity with the secure software development practices described in Section 4e subsections (i), (iii), and (iv), which are listed here:

*(i) secure software development environments, including such actions as:*

*(A) using administratively separate build environments;*

*(B) auditing trust relationships;*

*(C) establishing multi-factor, risk-based authentication and conditional access across the enterprise;*

*(D) documenting and minimizing dependencies on enterprise products that are part of the environments used to develop, build, and edit software;*

*(E) employing encryption for data; and*

*(F) monitoring operations and alerts and responding to attempted and actual cyber incidents;*

*(iii) employing automated tools, or comparable processes, to maintain trusted source code supply chains, thereby ensuring the integrity of the code;*

*(iv) employing automated tools, or comparable processes, that check for known and potential vulnerabilities and remediate them, which shall operate regularly, or at a minimum prior to product, version, or update release;*



Introduction
	Guidance Purpose and Scope
	Attesting to Conformity with Security Software Development Practices
	FAQs
  Information technology and Cybersecurity

    
    Created February 1, 2022, Updated February 4, 2022
 HEADQUARTERS
            100 Bureau Drive
              Gaithersburg, MD 20899301-975-2000
            Webmaster | Contact Us | Our Other Offices
        Twitter
            
Facebook
            
LinkedIn
            
Instagram
            
YouTube
            
Giphy
            
RSS Feed
            
Mailing List
                              How are we doing? Feedback

  
  Site Privacy
                      Accessibility
                      Privacy Program
                      Copyrights
                      Vulnerability Disclosure
                      No Fear Act Policy
                      FOIA
                      Environmental Policy
                      Scientific Integrity
                      Information Quality Standards
                      Commerce.gov
                      Science.gov
                      USA.gov
                      Vote.gov