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As software supply chain attacks become more sophisticated, organizations have shifted from "why" to "how." We’ve moved past simply discussing the need to protect sources and secure builds. Today, the industry relies on frameworks like 

 Adopting a framework is only the first step. To achieve true 

, you must move from subjective trust to objective measurement. In this final post of our series, we explore seven key 

Why metrics are essential for software supply chain integrity

Security without measurement is guesswork. Many organizations claim to have a secure software supply chain, but struggle to answer basic questions like:

Can we prove where our production artifacts came from?

How quickly do we detect new dependency risks?

Are security policies enforced, or just documented?

 depends on visibility, enforcement, and accountability. Metrics turn those concepts into something observable and repeatable. More importantly, they shift security from a reactive function to a governed system, ideally managed within a 

Quick reference: S2C2F metrics and maturity mapping

The 7 key metrics for a secure software supply chain

 The percentage of production artifacts with verifiable, cryptographically signed provenance. 

 If you can’t prove how an artifact was built, who built it, and what went into it, you’re relying on trust instead of evidence. Provenance is the foundation of 

 High coverage indicates a strong source and builds integrity, while preserving traceability throughout the artifact lifecycle.

 How many artifacts in your repositories are signed and verified before use. 

 Unsigned artifacts are indistinguishable from tampered ones. A 

 depends on cryptographic verification, not naming conventions or environment assumptions. 

 Mature teams enforce signature verification at the 

 Whether Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) are complete, accurate, and generated per artifact version. 

 An outdated or partial SBOM creates false confidence. SBOMs are only useful when they reflect exactly what was shipped, including transitive dependencies.

 High SBOM completeness supports transparency, auditability, and rapid incident response.

4. Mean time to dependency risk detection (MTDR)

 How quickly new vulnerabilities, malicious packages, or license issues are detected after entering the supply chain. 

 Speed matters more than perfection. The longer a risky dependency lives in your pipeline, the greater the blast radius. 

 Short MTDR indicates continuous verification instead of periodic scanning.

 The percentage of builds, promotions, and downloads governed by enforceable security policies. 

 Security guidelines without enforcement don’t reduce risk. Policy must be automatic, consistent, and unavoidable. 

 High enforcement rates reflect a shift from advisory controls to preventative ones.

 How often teams reuse verified artifacts instead of rebuilding the same components across environments. 

 Rebuilding introduces inconsistency, increases attack surface, and weakens traceability. Reuse strengthens integrity and simplifies audits. 

 Mature organizations promote trusted artifacts through environments rather than recreating them.

7. Exposure window for vulnerable artifacts

 The time between vulnerability disclosure and when affected artifacts are blocked, quarantined, or replaced. 

 Every hour a vulnerable artifact remains available is measurable risk.

 Short exposure windows indicate automated response and strong 

artifact management for supply chain security

 reveal more than individual control gaps. They show whether S2C2F principles are operationalized within the organization.

Organizations with low S2C2F maturity often:

Rely on CI logs instead of artifact metadata.

Detect risk late in the lifecycle (often at deployment).

Enforce security inconsistently across different teams.

Treat the artifact as the system of record:

 All security metadata is attached directly to the artifact.

 to build; they only care what the cryptographic signature 

 as a security gate, not just a storage bucket.

How do you measure software supply chain security?

You measure it by tracking objective data points across the artifact lifecycle, specifically focusing on provenance coverage, cryptographic signing rates, and the speed of vulnerability detection (MTDR).

S2C2F metrics are specific indicators used to track the implementation of the Source-to-Container-to-Factory framework. They include artifact integrity checks, build service security, and dependency trust levels.

S2C2F maturity is measured by the degree of automation and enforcement in your pipeline. Level 1 focuses on basic visibility, while Level 4 requires automated policy enforcement, reproducible builds, and 100% provenance coverage.

How do you track software supply chain integrity?

Integrity is tracked through a combination of SBOMs, cryptographic signatures, and "attestations" stored within a secure artifact repository. These tools provide a verifiable record that the software has not been tampered with.

Closing the series: From framework to outcomes

How S2C2F strengthens open source and build security.

The core principles behind trusted software delivery.

This final step, measurement, is where theory becomes practice. When organizations clearly measure trust, integrity, and risk across their software artifacts, supply chain security stops being aspirational. It becomes operational.

 to learn how Cloudsmith accelerates your path to S2C2F maturity.

Parul Jhawar

Marketing

Security Maturity Assessment Guide

7 Key Metrics to Measure Software Supply Chain Security

Software supply chain security has moved from a niche concern to a board-level priority. While source code receives much of the focus, significant risk lies in the "grey area" between build and production, where developers store, share, and consume software artifacts.

artifact management for software supply chain security

 becomes foundational. When implemented correctly, a secure repository acts as the connective tissue that turns the Secure Supply Chain Consumption Framework 

 from a theoretical model into an operational reality.

Why artifacts are the "unit of trust" in S2C2F

Every software delivery pipeline produces artifacts: packages, container images, binaries, and 

. These are what actually run in your production environment.

Yet, many organizations treat repositories as passive storage. To achieve 

, you must treat your artifact repository as security-critical infrastructure.

 Only scanned and approved artifacts move to production.

 Artifacts cannot be altered once stored.

 Every binary is linked back to its build and source.

 focuses on the secure ingestion of open-source software (OSS). Artifact management provides the enforcement layer for these core practices:

1. The secure "front door" (ingest and control)

S2C2F requires a controlled point of entry for OSS. A secure artifact repository acts as a proxy, caching external dependencies so they can be scanned before they reach a developer’s machine.

You cannot secure what you can’t see. Advanced artifact management automatically generates and stores metadata, providing a "living" inventory of every dependency in your ecosystem – a key requirement for the 

 allows you to set automated "gates". For example, if a package in your repository has a critical CVE, the management system can automatically block it from being pulled into new builds.

Mapping artifact management to the S2C2F maturity model

 requires evolving your artifact strategy from simple storage to an intelligent control plane.

Artifact repository security: Beyond storage

 is about maintaining a "chain of custody" for your software. To advance your 

 Preventing "hidden" updates to existing versions.

 Using tools like Cosign to sign artifacts, ensuring they haven't been tampered with in transit.

 A complete log of who accessed what and when, which is essential for incident response.

Why it’s a differentiator for supply chain integrity

 doesn't add friction; it adds velocity. By centralizing security controls at the repository level, developers can move fast, knowing that the "ingredients" they are vetted against the 

When secure artifact management is embedded in the pipeline:

 Vulnerabilities are caught at the repository level, not in production.

 Every artifact has a "digital passport" (metadata and signatures).

What is artifact management in software supply chain security?

It is the process of securely storing, governing, and distributing binaries and packages. It ensures that the software being deployed is exactly what was built and hasn't been tampered with.

How does artifact management enable S2C2F?

It operationalizes the framework by providing a central location to ingest OSS, store SBOMs, scan for vulnerabilities, and enforce consumption policies.

What is the S2C2F maturity model for artifacts?

It is a 4-level progression where an organization moves from using public registries directly (Level 0) to rebuilding and verifying every OSS component internally (Level 4).

Why is artifact repository security critical for supply chain integrity?

Because the repository is the final gate before production. If the repository is compromised, an attacker can swap a safe artifact for a malicious one, bypassing all previous source-code security checks.

S2C2F provides the blueprint, but artifact management is the foundation. By strengthening your 

, you turn supply chain integrity from a goal into a reality.

If you haven’t explored the foundations of S2C2F yet, we recommend starting with the previous post in this series:

Understanding these principles will help you see exactly how artifact management fits into the broader S2C2F journey and why it is such a critical enabler of supply chain integrity.

How Artifact Management Enables S2C2F Maturity

Software supply chain attacks aren’t theoretical anymore–they’re operational risks.

 Because organizations rely on open source and third-party components, maintaining 

 is a fundamental security requirement. But how do you secure the thousands of external components flowing into your development environment every day?

That’s exactly why the Secure Supply Chain Consumption Framework (

 provides a practical, principles‑driven approach to strengthening trust specifically for the 

 of open source software (OSS). Unlike other frameworks that focus on how you 

, explain how they work together, and show how they help organizations consume open source software with confidence.

 Before diving in, we recommend reading our previous post in the series:

Understanding S2C2F: How It Strengthens OSS Security

software supply chain integrity framework

 designed to reduce the risk of consuming malicious or vulnerable open source components. Originally developed by Microsoft and contributed to the OpenSSF, it shifts the focus from "secure coding" to "secure consumption."

The framework is built on a maturity model that helps organizations move from ad-hoc ingestion to a fully governed, secure supply chain.

Why S2C2F matters for supply chain integrity

Instead of vague promises about "security," S2C2F defines clear expectations for how external code enters your ecosystem. The S2C2F security principles focus on:

Reducing the attack surface of external dependencies.

Improving inventory visibility (knowing what you have).

decreasing mean-time-to-remediate (MTTR) when vulnerabilities are found.

The S2C2F framework is organized into eight distinct areas of practice. Individually, they address specific consumption risks; collectively, they create a "defense in depth" strategy for your 

The first and most critical practice is defining 

 open source packages enter your organization. Instead of allowing developers to pull directly from public registries (like npm or PyPI), which exposes you to 

 and "dependency confusion" attacks, S2C2F mandates using a central artifact repository.

 Centralize and cache all external dependencies.

Prevents "left-pad" incidents (deleted packages) and establishes a single control point for policy enforcement.

 This practice focuses on maintaining a complete, accurate record of all third-party artifacts used across your organization. This goes beyond a simple list; it requires generating and managing a 

When the next Log4j happens, you can instantly query 

 they are used. S2C2F emphasizes scanning not just for known vulnerabilities (CVEs), but also for malware, license compliance, and heuristic risk signals.

 Stop bad packages before they reach the build server.

 Reduces technical debt by blocking high-risk components early in the lifecycle.

 Software rot is a security risk. This practice ensures that your organization has a process for keeping dependencies up to date. Outdated packages are the number one vector for exploitation.

 Automate dependency updates (e.g., via bot PRs).

Minimizes the "vulnerability window" that attackers can exploit.

Explicitly define trust boundaries . The "Enforce" practice involves setting policies that automatically reject components that don't meet your security standards (e.g., blocking packages with critical CVEs or unacceptable licenses).

Automated policy gates at the ingestion point.

 Prevents human error and ensures compliance with supply chain integrity principles.

 Every action in the supply chain–from ingestion to deployment–should be logged. This practice ensures that you can trace exactly who brought a package in, when it was scanned, and where it was used.

Enables forensic investigation and proves compliance to auditors.

 For organizations with high security requirements , trusting the binary isn't enough. This practice involves rebuilding open source packages from the source code on your own trusted infrastructure to verify that the distributed binary matches the source code.

Verify artifact integrity independent of the upstream publisher.

Mitigates sophisticated attacks where the upstream build system is compromised (like SolarWinds).

 Security is a community effort. This practice encourages organizations to fix vulnerabilities they find in open source projects and, critically, contribute those fixes back to the upstream community.

 Strengthens the entire open source security framework and reduces the maintenance burden of carrying private patches.

Taken together, these eight practices provide a structured way to understand, assess, and control risk in complex, dependency‑driven ecosystems.

For organizations that rely heavily on open source, the 

 (Yes, because we have Audit logs and Update paths.)

By addressing these questions directly, S2C2F becomes a practical 

 model, moving you from reactive patching to proactive governance. Using an artifact manager to apply and enforce these practices allows organizations to automate and incorporate security into development pipelines without creating extra work for developers. 

Secure Supply Chain Consumption Framework (S2C2F) is a security framework adopted by the OpenSSF that focuses on securing how organizations consume (ingest) open source software. It outlines eight core practices and four maturity levels to improve supply chain integrity.

2. What is the difference between S2C2F and SLSA?

S2C2F is for consumers (focusing on ingestion, scanning, and inventory of dependencies), while SLSA is for producers (focusing on the build integrity and provenance of the artifacts you create). They are complementary frameworks.

3. Why are S2C2F practices important for open source security?

Because most modern applications are 80-90% open source code, the supply chain is the largest attack surface. S2C2F provides a standardized way to vet and manage this code, preventing attacks like dependency confusion and malicious injection.

Understanding the practices is only one step toward stronger supply chain integrity. Now, it's time to assess your maturity.

Software Supply Chain and Artifact Management Maturity Assessment

 Check if your developers are pulling directly from public repositories, like npm and Maven, or using a secure proxy.

 automates the Ingest, Scan, and Enforce pillars of S2C2F today.

The 8 core principles of S2C2F

 continue to rise, and organizations are under intense pressure to build trust in both the code they create and the open-source software (OSS) they consume.

To address this growing challenge, many teams are turning to the 

Secure Supply Chain Consumption Framework (S2C2F)

 designed to strengthen how organizations ingest, validate, and govern open-source components.

This blog is the second part of our Supply Chain Integrity Series. If you haven’t read the first article yet, check out:

Secure Supply Chain Consumption Framework

. It is a security model created to help organizations safely adopt open-source software by improving 

, integrity, and governance across the entire consumption lifecycle.

 side, how teams ingest, validate, scan, store, and trust OSS before it becomes part of their build pipeline.

 development lifecycle, S2C2F gives teams a clear, maturity-based path to reduce 

Why S2C2F matters for open source security?

Modern software is overwhelmingly built on open source. However, the speed and flexibility of OSS come with significant risks. Without a framework like S2C2F, teams are vulnerable to:

S2C2F helps teams systematically reduce these risks by defining the controls required at each maturity level, starting with simple ingestion hygiene and moving all the way to full hermetic, zero-trust infrastructure. It supports 

How S2C2F works: A maturity-based path to integrity

The framework defines four maturity levels. You don’t need to jump to Level 4 immediately; 

 is designed to support incremental adoption as your organization grows.

Level 1: Ingestion control (The Baseline)

 Stop pulling directly from public registries.

 Protection against removal events, registry outages, and basic dependency integrity issues. You also gain a foundational inventory of all OSS components.

Level 2: Secure consumption & faster MTTR

 Prevent packages with known vulnerabilities from entering the build loop and eliminate manual CVE checking.

Audit that consumption is through the approved ingestion method.

Level 3: Malware defense & Zero-day detection

 Defend against malicious actors and typo-squatting.

 becomes proactive. You are protected from dependency confusion and advanced attacks.

Proactive reviews for yet-undiscovered vulnerabilities.

Verify that binaries match the trusted source code.

 Total independence and hermetic security.

 Maximum integrity–even from compromised public upstreams.

How Cloudsmith helps you achieve supply chain integrity

Implementing S2C2F manually is a significant operational challenge. 

 designed specifically to automate software supply chain integrity.

Our platform aligns with S2C2F principles, allowing you to move from Maturity Level 1 to Level 3 almost immediately.

Cloudsmith doesn’t just support S2C2F; it accelerates it, turning 

Software supply chain best practices inspired by S2C2F

To secure the open-source consumption lifecycle, teams should adopt these 

Enforce automated vulnerability and malware scanning

 rather than pulling directly from the wild.

 to ensure code comes from where it claims to.

Rebuild sensitive or high-risk dependencies

S2C2F offers a clear, practical roadmap for improving 

, and strengthening integrity, without overwhelming your team with complex controls from day one.

Cloudsmith Blog

7 Key Metrics to Measure Software Supply Chain Security

How Artifact Management Enables S2C2F Maturity

The 8 core principles of S2C2F

Understanding S2C2F: How it strengthens OSS security

What is Software Supply Chain Integrity?

Extend EPM policies to Hugging Face artifacts

Slopsquatting and Typosquatting: How to Detect AI-Hallucinated Malicious Packages

The DevOps Guide to Mitigating Software Supply Chain Risks

Shai-Hulud: The Second Coming - What You Need to Know and Do Now

Securing the intersection of AI models and software supply chains

Breaking the "Department of No": Ship fast but also secure

AI generated code is changing the demands being put on artifact management