SBOM vs RBOM™: Why Runtime Bill of Materials Is the Future of Container Security

Shift from static inventory to intelligent, runtime-aware security.

What Is SBOM and Why It Falls Short

A Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) is a list of all components packaged into a software artifact including OS libraries, open-source dependencies, and third-party code.

While SBOMs are valuable for:

• Meeting compliance standards like FedRAMP, CMMC, SOC 2, and EO 14028
  
  
• Increasing transparency in the software supply chain
  
  
• Supporting audit and documentation workflows

They are limited because:

• They are static — SBOMs track what’s present, not what executes
  
  
• They generate noise — dormant packages inflate vulnerability counts
  
  
• They lack precision — CVEs in unused code trigger unnecessary patching

As a result, organizations waste time and resources chasing non-exploitable vulnerabilities — with little impact on real-world risk.

What Is RBOM™ (Runtime Bill of Materials)?

An RBOM™ (Runtime Bill of Materials™) is a dynamic, execution-aware version of an SBOM. It records only what is actually executed during build, test, or production.

This reduces noise, improves CVE prioritization, and enables targeted vulnerability remediation.

Key Benefits of RBOM for Container Security

• Eliminates unreachable CVEs: Filters out vulnerabilities in unused libraries
  
  
• Accelerates compliance readiness: Enables runtime evidence for faster audits
  
  
• Improves remediation focus: Surfaces only CVEs in real execution paths
  
  
• Reduces developer burden: Works without requiring source code changes

‍‍

‍

How RapidFort Delivers RBOM and Runtime Security

RapidFort provides an AI-powered platform to generate and act on RBOMs across your CI/CD and production environments.

1. Inventory & Understand

• Baseline container risk from registries, inline pipelines, or runtime
  
  
• Reconcile CVEs across all vulnerability scanners
  
  
• Track CVE drift and store results over time
  
  
• Benchmark applications against STIG guidelines
  
  
• Identify unauthorized software components

2. Remediate & Automate

• Use 9,000+ hardened, near-zero CVE container images
  
  
• All images are STIG and FIPS-compliant for compliance with FedRAMP, CMMC, SOC 2, and NIS2
  
  
• Leverage agentic AI auto-remediation in CI/CD
  
  
• Fix CVEs at scale — no source code changes required

3. Maintain & Defend

• Automatically remove unused software components
  
  
• Reduce software attack surface by up to 90%
  
  
• Harden both first-party and third-party container images
  
  
• Monitor and manage entire application clusters across environments
  
  
• Complete the loop with end-to-end remediation reporting and compliance visibility

Why RBOM Outperforms SBOM

While SBOMs help organizations see what’s inside their software, RBOMs show what actually runs — making them more useful for vulnerability management, runtime security, and compliance readiness.

With RBOM:

• You eliminate non-actionable CVEs from your backlog
  
  
• You reduce patch fatigue and false positives
  
  
• You deliver secure, compliant containers faster

AI-Driven Container Security Starts Here

Most DevSecOps teams still rely on static SBOMs and reactive security workflows. With RapidFort’s RBOM-driven platform, you can:

• Filter CVEs by runtime relevance
  
  
• Harden workloads in CI/CD without code changes
  
  
• Achieve compliance faster with real execution insights
  
  
• Deliver secure software with precision

👉 Book a demo today and learn how RBOM™ helps you reduce risk, accelerate DevOps, and secure your container environments — from build to runtime.