Dependency Management Report 2024

A ‘software dependency’ refers to external code or libraries that a software project requires to function properly.

Most are free and open source (OSS), saving the world an estimated $8.8 trillion in development costs. But OSS isn’t without its own risks, and the use of generative AI as a development assistant is already spawning new challenges. Managing risks, including vulnerabilities, in OSS dependencies is a top concern for organizations seeking to secure the software development lifecycle (SDLC).

Our annual Dependency Management Report explores emerging OSS dependency trends to consider as part of an SDLC security strategy.

• Dependency management all comes down to effective prioritization
• Dependency management is impossible with public advisory databases alone
• Artificial Intelligence makes programming easier, but dependency management harder