Ask any SBOM platform how long it keeps every version of every SBOM, who can see what, how you share files with customers, how you mark findings as not affected, and how you export everything. These questions matter more over a year than generation speed does on day one.
Storage and history
An SBOM is a snapshot. When an advisory lands a year later, you need the snapshot for the release that is running at a customer, not only the latest. Ask whether every version is kept, for how long, and whether older ones are searchable. Ask what happens to history if a project is archived or renamed.
Access and sharing
SBOMs can reveal internal structure, so sharing should be deliberate. Ask for role based access, per customer sharing links or portals, expiry on shared access, and a log of who downloaded what. Ask whether you can redact fields before sharing and whether that is recorded. Some customers will ask for a signed file, so ask how integrity is handled.
Annotating and exporting
Raw scanner output includes findings that do not apply. Ask whether you can record a not affected statement with a reason, in a standard form such as VEX, and attach it to the right component and version. Then ask for the full export path: all SBOMs, annotations and logs in standard formats, without a fee or a ticket. Your records are yours, and the exit test is part of the evaluation.
Run a mini audit
Pick a release from last quarter and ask the tool to show its SBOM, the findings at the time, the findings now and any annotations. Time it. Then ask a non-engineer to find the same thing. If that works, storage and sharing are probably in good shape.
Ask about deletion too. Retention is not only keeping, it is also removing on request or on schedule. If a customer relationship ends, can you remove their shared access and the SBOMs you prepared for them? Is deletion logged? Contract terms, privacy rules and your own policy may all apply, so make sure the platform gives you the controls to follow them without engineering help.
Where Safeguard fits
Safeguard runs SBOM and dependency scanning with reachability analysis, and you can try it on a repository with the free scan.
Quick check
How long should SBOMs be retained?
At least as long as the releases they describe are supported or deployed. Check contract and regulatory needs for your sector.
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
