Sonatype Overhauls JavaScript Scanning; Provides npm Automated Pull Requests and More Free Developer Tools

Enhanced solutions take advantage of new algorithms to better identify security vulnerabilities in open source npm packages

Sonatype, the company that scales DevOps through open source governance and software supply chain automation, announced an enhanced suite of JavaScript intelligence capabilities that provides developers with improved accuracy, increased policy control, and faster remediation of open source vulnerabilities across the entire software development lifecycle (SDLC).

The use, and availability, of open source components continues to grow exponentially across the world’s 11 million active JavaScript developers. According to npm, there are more than 1.2 million open source Javascript packages with over 17 Billion downloads per week from its repository. However, not all JavaScript packages are created equal; Sonatype’s 2019 State of the Software Supply Report reported that 51% of JavaScript packages downloaded had a known vulnerability.

“The exponential growth in use of npm packages shows no signs of slowing and our aim is to ensure JavaScript developers have access to the highest quality components to build with,” said Brian Fox, CTO of Sonatype. “With our new algorithm and revolutionary developer experiences delivered through free and premium tools, we’re simplifying the entire process. It’s now easier than ever for JavaScript developers to accurately identify and fix known vulnerabilities.”

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Enhanced Algorithm, Expanded Coverage and Noise Reduction Across the Nexus Platform 

Sonatype’s new, proprietary JavaScript scanning algorithm involves both manifest scanning and file scanning. By taking the aggregate of this data, the company is able to produce extremely accurate vulnerability reports, with much higher fidelity.  These highly accurate reports can be easily understood and acted upon by developers, reducing friction, improving security hygiene, and accelerating innovation.

Sonatype is providing unrivaled context and reliable details to JavaScript developers across the Nexus platform. Increased clarity on policy violations and remediation recommendations for embedded dependencies, help developers move quickly and remediate known vulnerabilities faster.

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npm automated pull requests for GitHub

Sonatype customers now have the ability to automatically update npm packages and their dependencies within an application when a policy violation is discovered. Sonatype’s Nexus Lifecycle evaluates known vulnerabilities, package licenses, and other architectural attributes, and immediately creates a pull request in GitHub when there is a newer or better version available in the public repository.

AuditJS, a Free Developer tool to Scan JavaScript Projects for Vulnerabilities 

For developers who are just getting started with open source vulnerability scanning, Sonatype’s free AuditJS allows anyone to scan a JavaScript project with a few simple lines of code. Designed as a native JavaScript tool, specifically calibrated for ease of use, it can be installed with just npm, and will help all developers to further shift security left. While available for free to non-Sonatype customers, it also integrates directly into Nexus Lifecycle and can be used in tandem with the Lifecycle CLI scanner.

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