Do you have a process and implemented procedures for managing your software supply chain (e.g., libraries, repositories, frameworks, etc.)

This question is asking about your organization's approach to managing software supply chain risks - specifically how you track, evaluate, and secure the third-party components that go into your software products. Software supply chain management involves having formal processes to inventory, evaluate, update, and monitor all external code components (like open-source libraries, frameworks, repositories) that your applications depend on. This includes both direct dependencies you explicitly include and indirect/transitive dependencies those components rely on. The question is being asked because software supply chain attacks have become increasingly common. Attackers target vulnerabilities in widely-used components rather than trying to breach your custom code directly. The SolarWinds and Log4j incidents are famous examples where compromised or vulnerable components affected thousands of organizations. A good answer should demonstrate that you: 1. Maintain an inventory of all third-party components used in your applications 2. Have a process to evaluate new components before adoption 3. Regularly scan for vulnerabilities in these components 4. Have procedures to quickly update or mitigate when vulnerabilities are discovered 5. Apply these practices to both in-house development and any outsourced development work The guidance specifically mentions including both in-house and contract development because organizations often have better controls over their internal development practices but may overlook applying the same rigor to code developed by contractors or vendors.