Uploading Software Bill of Materials files using a REST API

  • Release version: Yokohama
  • Updated June 25, 2026
  • 5 minutes to read
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    Summary of Uploading Software Bill of Materials files using a REST API

    This guide explains how ServiceNow customers can upload Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) files into their instance using the REST API provided by SBOM Core version 4.0. The API supports CycloneDX (versions 1.0 to 1.6) in XML and JSON formats and SPDX (versions 2.2 to 2.3) in JSON format. This capability enables automated ingestion and processing of SBOM files to improve software component tracking, vulnerability management, and compliance.

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    Using the REST API

    • Role Required: The user must have the snsbomcore.sbomingest role.
    • Upload API: Use HTTP POST to /api/sbom/core/upload on your ServiceNow instance.
    • Content-Type Header: Mandatory and must match the SBOM file content type (e.g., application/json, text/xml, or application/xml). Missing or unsupported Content-Type results in HTTP 400 errors.
    • File Size Limitation: Files larger than 32 MB may not upload properly.
    • Request Body: The SBOM file content is sent as the request body.
    • Optional Parameters: Include metadata such as productModelId, businessApplicationId, sbomSource, and requestedBy. If requestedBy is set to "devops," additional parameters like buildId and lifecycleStage become mandatory, and vulnerability and package info flags (fetchVulenrabilityInfo, fetchPackageInfo) can be set to true or false.

    API Responses and Status Tracking

    • Upload Response: Returns status (success/fail), a message, and a bomRecordId which is the unique identifier of the SBOM record.
    • Status API: Use HTTP GET on /api/sbom/core/upload/status with the bomRecordId to check processing status and summary details such as components added or removed.
    • Additional Information: If requested during upload, vulnerability breakdown and package info (e.g., stale or abandoned components) are included in the status response.

    Post-Upload Processing and Viewing

    After successful processing, uploaded SBOMs are stored in the Bill of Materials [snsbomdoc] table. Depending on your ServiceNow applications (SBOM Response or SBOM Core), you can view the ingestion status and SBOM records through the SBOM Workspace modules such as "BOM Queue" or "BOM Ingestion Status."

    Enhancements and Supported Standards

    • Version 4.0 supports enhanced CycloneDX standards (1.0 to 1.6) with additional component types and license metadata, and supports SPDX JSON versions 2.2 to 2.3.
    • A property snsbomcore.collectproperties can be activated to import additional metadata, vulnerabilities, and component properties not generally supported, storing them in the snsbomcompproperty table.
    • SBOM Core validates the uploaded data format (JSON or XML) and minimum required fields before ingestion.

    Practical Considerations for ServiceNow Customers

    • Ensure that users uploading SBOM files have the required role snsbomcore.sbomingest.
    • Prepare SBOM files in supported formats and sizes under 32 MB for optimal reliability.
    • Utilize optional parameters to enrich the SBOM data with relevant metadata for better integration with your DevOps processes or application tracking.
    • Use the Status API to monitor SBOM processing and retrieve vulnerability or package intelligence details if requested at upload.
    • Access uploaded SBOM records via the SBOM Workspace modules for analysis and reporting.

    Review the following information prior to uploading Software Bill of Materials files using an API.

    Using the REST API

    To upload an SBOM file with an API, the sn_sbom_core.sbom_ingest role is required.

    Upload API.

    This API is used for uploading and ingesting an SBOM file (CycloneDX/SPDX) into your instance.

    Version 4.0 of SBOM Core supports:
    • XML and JSON in CycloneDx (versions 1.0 - 1.6).
    • JSON in SPDX (versions 2.2-2.3)
    • Note:
      Files over 32 MB might not load properly.

    HTTP method: (POST)

    API URL: <host_name>/api/sbom/core/upload
    Note:
    <host_name> is your ServiceNow instance name.

    Request headers.

    The Content-Type header is required when calling the Upload API. Set the Content-Type value to match the SBOM file content submitted in the request body. Supported values include:
    • Content-Type: text/xml
    • Content-Type: application/json
    • Content-Type: application/xml
    If the Content-Type header is missing, the API rejects the request with a HTTP 400 error and returns the following code:
    {
  "status": "failure",
  "message": "Content-Type header is missing"
}
    If the Content-Type header is unsupported, the API rejects the request with an HTTP 400 error and returns the following code:
    {
  "status": "error",
  "message": "Unsupported Content-Type. BOM data must be in JSON or XML."
}
    All the following request parameters are optional; the request body is the SBOM file content. If you're using DevOps as part of your development process, the value of 'requestedBy' should be 'devops'. See Uploading Software Bill of Materials for DevOps SBOM files for more general information about DevOps. If the value for 'requestedby' is "devops" (devlopment operations), these parameters are mandatory:
    • buildId
    • lifecycleStage
    In addition, if 'requestedBy' is 'devops', data for fetchVulenrabilityInfo, and fetchPackageInfo is included.
    • buildId- string you send
    • lifecycleStage- two values, production or pre_production
    • fetchVulenrabilityInfo- t/f
    • fetchPackageInfo-t/f
    Request parameters Possible values Description
    productModelId Sys id Sys id of product model to map with the root application of given SBOM.
    businessApplicationId Sys id Sys id of business application to map with the root application of given SBOM.
    businessApplicationName (deprecated) Your business application name Name of business application to map with the root application of given SBOM.
    sbomSource A product such as Veracode, for example The source for your SBOM file.
    requestedBy A tool, or name of a methodology, Jenkins. If you use "devops", buildId and lifecycleStage are mandatory. Upload requested by
    buildId A string requester sends. Build ID of the SBOM build.
    lifecycleStage production or pre_production Life cycle stage of the entity.
    fetchVulenrabilityInfo t/f If true, triggers vulnerability intelligence integration.
    fetchPackage Info t/f If true, triggers package intelligence integration.
    Upload API Response: included 'status' success/fail, 'message' (string), 'bomRecordId' (this is the sys id of the SBOM that is returned through the upload API for a successful SBOM upload).
    {

"result": {

"status": "success",

"message": "Queued for processing.",

"bomRecordId": "f207059b4393c290629aa597cbb8f247"

}

}

    Status API

    This API gets the status and summary of an SBOM that Is queued for ingestion.
    • API URL: /api/sbom/core/upload/status
    • HTTP method (GET)
    Request parameters Possible values Description
    bomRecordId Sys id SBOM record ID that is returned the through the upload API for a successful SBOM upload.

    Status API default response example.

    
{
   "result": {
      "bomRecordId": "0407c0fea3e70a505df340f5251e617e",
      "uploadStatus": "processed",
      "additionalInfoStatus": "not_requested",
      "uploadSummary": {
         "components": {
            "added": 0,
            "removed": 0,
            "total": 70
         }
       }
    } 
}

    Status API response with additional parameters example. If you requested fetchVulenrabilityInfo for that SBOM, you get the vulnerability breakdown as part of the response.

    
{
 "result": {

  "bomRecordId": "93af349b4393c290629aa597cbb8f258",

  "uploadStatus": "processed",

  "additionalInfoStatus": "complete",

  "uploadSummary": {

    "components": {
 
     "added": 0,

     "removed": 0,

     "total": 3

   },

   "vulnerabilityInfo": {

    "critical": 0,

    "high": 0,

    "medium": 0,

    "low": 0,

    "none": 0

   }

  },

  "buildId": "1"

 }

}

    If you requested fetchPackageInfo for that SBOM, you get stale and abandoned counts as part of the response.

    After an SBOM is successfully processed, where you view the uploaded records depends on the applications you’re using.

    • If you’re using SBOM Response, the BOM Entity record is displayed on the SBOM Ingestion Status list in the BOM Queue module in the SBOM Workspace.
    • If you’re using SBOM Core, navigate to SBOM Core > BOM Ingestion Status.

    Enhancements to supported SBOM standards and general usage information

    Version 4.0 of SBOM Core supports:
    • XML and JSON in CycloneDx (versions 1.0 - 1.6).
    • JSON in SPDX (versions 2.2-2.3)
    • Note:
      Files over 32 MB might not load properly.
    Starting with v4.0 of SBOM Core, the following enhancements were made to support CycloneDx standards for versions 1.0 - 1.6:
    • Import additional information in CycloneDX SBOM files with the (sn_sbom_core.collect_properties) property. This property is deactivated by default. Activate the property to import information that is generally not supported. Any information imported from these properties is uploaded to the SBOM Component Property [sn_sbom_comp_property] table for the following:
      • Uploaded SBOM files
      • Metadata
      • Individual vulnerabilities
      • Components
    • View imported component data for declared and concluded licenses for SBOM files in versions 1.4 and later of CycloneDX in two new license fields:
      • Declared
      • Concluded
    • SBOM parsing support is extended for the following CycloneDX component types:
      • Version 1.5: Platform, Data, Device driver, Machine Learning model
      • Version 1.6: Cryptographic
    Version 3.0 of SBOM Core supports:
    • XML and JSON in CycloneDx (up to and including version 1.4).
    • JSON in SPDX (up to and including v2.3).

    If the calling user is successfully authenticated and has the sn_sbom_core.sbom_ingest role in your ServiceNow instance, you can access the API from outside of your instance to upload the SBOM data.

    After data is uploaded, it is parsed. Before data is parsed, the following requirements are verified:

    • Incoming data is checked that it is valid JSON or XML.
    • The BOM format is supported. Starting with v2.1 of SBOM Core, CycloneDX (JSON and XML) and SPDX (XML) formats are supported.
    • The minimum fields are available so that data can be parsed.

    After these checks are verified, an entry is made into the Bill of Materials [sn_sbom_doc] table with incoming SBOM data as an attachment.

    The Process BOM file business rule is triggered automatically as a result of the record insertion and data parsing.
    Note:
    This business rule is activated during installation of SBOM Core by default.

    All the components listed in an SBOM have a defined type.

    • Components for which SBOM files were uploaded are considered BOM Entities.
    • Components listed as type=library are considered third-party components.