ActiveState Artifact Repository reduces the risk of securing Python supply chain

ActiveState releases ActiveState Artifact Repository to enable organizations to securely build Python dependencies directly from source code.

Rather than developers importing prebuilt Python dependencies from a public repository like the Python Package Index (PyPI), or from some internal build process that may not be secured from supply chain attacks, all Python artifacts are created via ActiveState’s secure build service and stored directly in their own private ActiveState Artifact Repository for distribution, creating a closed-loop environment that maximizes supply chain security.

ActiveState’s secure build service supports the security and integrity controls defined in the highest level of the Supply Chain Levels for Software Artifacts (SLSA) framework, dramatically reducing the risk of working with prebuilt Python dependencies. The ActiveState Artifact Repository is a private repository, customized for each customer, that will only contain Python packages that have been vetted by the organization’s security team.

When developing with Python, software vendors typically use their artifact repository to proxy the Python Package Index (PyPI) which provides no security or integrity guarantees for the third-party software assets they provide. In contrast, the ActiveState Artifact Repository provides software vendors with a catalog of securely-built Python dependencies that have already been vetted by their security team, reducing the risk of using third-party components.

Organizations that build Python dependencies from source code either create one-off builds that are rarely updated, resulting in buggy, vulnerable applications; or they’re forced to implement and maintain separate build systems for each Operating System (OS) that developers and deployment systems require, leading to high operational overhead. Conversely, the ActiveState Artifact Repository:

• Ensures the security and integrity of the Python artifacts developers work with.
• Eliminates the overhead of creating and maintaining build environments for Windows, Mac and Linux.
• Utilizes a secure, cloud-based build service to eliminate the need to periodically audit internal build systems for compromise.

As a result, software vendors now have a far more secure and cost-effective way to make trusted Python dependencies available to development and DevOps teams.

Loreli Cadapan, Vice President, Product, ActiveState, said: “Artifact repositories are a proven way to create a consistent, reliable software development process. But the final product is only as safe and secure as the initial inputs to the artifact repository. That’s where ActiveState excels. The ActiveState Artifact Repository reduces the risk and cost of securing your Python supply chain while ensuring the security and integrity of the products and services you create.”