As software development grows more complex, enterprises face an escalating software supply chain security challenge. Open-source components and software supply chains introduce vulnerabilities that attackers increasingly exploit, making traditional security models less effective against today’s rapidly evolving threats.

Chainguard Inc. is taking a prominent role in changing how organizations address software security. The company has championed a secure-by-default model, where every layer of the software supply chain is hardened against attacks. With innovations focusing on reducing vulnerabilities at the source rather than scrambling to patch issues after they arise, Chainguard’s presence in the enterprise security landscape continues to grow. The company’s commitment to proactive security will take center stage at the upcoming Chainguard Assemble event.

“We’re thrilled to be covering Chainguard’s first Assemble conference,” said theCUBE’s Savannah Peterson. “The opportunity to hear from their leadership on the secure-by-design build system in the Chainguard factory, deep-dive into their Images product — which facilitates faster innovation without compromising security — and highlight all of their other open-source, community-focused solutions is exciting. We look forward to learning from their diverse guests in San Francisco.”

The Chainguard Assemble event on March 26 is set to offer insights into the next phase of software security, with major announcements expected from the company’s product and engineering teams. Join Peterson and Jackie McGuire of theCUBE, SiliconANGLE Media’s livestreaming studio, for our exclusive coverage. Peterson and McGuire will talk with industry experts about the evolving threat landscape, new regulatory pressures and innovations reshaping software supply chain security. (* Disclosure below.)

AI, open-source security and the evolving software supply chain security landscape

Securing the software supply chain is more than a niche concern — it’s a critical priority for enterprises navigating an increasingly volatile cybersecurity environment. In response to escalating threats, a coalition of industry leaders, including Chainguard, launched the Coalition for Secure AI, or CoSAI. The initiative aims to develop tools and best practices for securing AI applications, reinforcing the urgent need for more proactive security solutions.

“As we witness AI workloads evolving beyond simple applications to more sensitive and critical functions, ensuring their security becomes paramount,” said Kim Lewandowski, co-founder and chief product officer at Chainguard. “The current landscape is fragmented, with developers navigating inconsistent and siloed guidelines. At Chainguard, we are excited to join CoSAI and contribute our expertise in creating secure-by-design AI systems. Together, we can set new benchmarks for AI security, ensuring that innovation progresses on a foundation of safety and reliability.”

Chainguard’s approach aligns with this broader industry shift. By focusing on securing software supply chain security at its foundation, the company is challenging outdated models that rely on detection and patching. Instead, Chainguard provides hardened, containerized versions of popular open-source tools, ensuring vulnerabilities are mitigated before they can be exploited.

Chainguard secured $140 million in Series C funding last year to support its ambitious vision. With this investment, the company is expanding its portfolio, including the launch of Chainguard AI Images, a new suite of secure open-source containers designed for AI applications. These AI-focused security measures come at a time when enterprises are rapidly integrating machine learning and large language models into their workflows, creating new vectors for cyber threats.

“The complexity and scale of vulnerability management has outgrown the capabilities of most organizations to manage on their own,” said Dan Lorenc, co-founder and chief executive officer of Chainguard. “Chainguard has brought an essential layer of security to the open source consumption model, which was already strained by new attack types like Log4j and XZ Utils, and is under even greater pressure from a combination of rapidly adopted AI workloads and intensifying regulatory requirements. We empower developers to focus on doing what they do best — writing great software — with a newfound confidence they are building upon a secure, vulnerability-free foundation, where starting left, not shifting left, is the only way.”

As AI-driven innovations accelerate and regulatory scrutiny increases, enterprises are forced to rethink their approach to security. The shift toward proactive, built-in protections is gaining momentum, with industry leaders recognizing that traditional methods can no longer keep up. These challenges and the future of secure software development are expected to take center stage at Chainguard Assemble, with experts weighing in on what’s next for the security industry.

TheCUBE event livestream

Don’t miss theCUBE’s coverage of the Chainguard Assemble event on March 26. Plus, you can watch theCUBE’s event coverage on-demand after the live event.

How to watch theCUBE interviews

We offer you various ways to watch theCUBE’s coverage of the Chainguard Assemble event, including theCUBE’s dedicated website and YouTube channel. You can also get all the coverage from this year’s events on SiliconANGLE.

TheCUBE Insights podcast

SiliconANGLE also has podcasts available of archived interview sessions, available on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify, which you can enjoy while on the go.

SiliconANGLE also has analyst deep dives in our Breaking Analysis podcast, available on iTunes, Stitcher and Spotify.

Guests

During Chainguard Assemble, theCUBE will speak with industry thought leaders about secure-by-default software, supply chain security and vulnerability prevention and how these innovations are shaping the future of enterprise security.

(* Disclosure: TheCUBE is a paid media partner for the Chainguard Assemble event. Neither Chainguard Inc., the sponsor of theCUBE’s event coverage, nor other sponsors have editorial control over content on theCUBE or SiliconANGLE.)

Image: SiliconANGLE