Risks With Open Source Software

The risk of infringement and the risk of license restriction.

Risks with open source software.

Matthew webb is our cyber line underwriter at hiscox. He is a highly regarded uk resource on risks associated with cyber crime and data security. Risks are more than just individual vulnerabilities although these issues are also important. Open source software usage presents legal engineering and security challenges and when organizations aren t on top of the quality of the open source components that they are using they could unknowingly be incorporating vulnerable risky unlicensed and out of date components.

Many open source software packages utilize free static analysis scanners and the results are available for everyone to inspect. However open source raises two unique risks. An analysis of the business requirements and ongoing costs associated with the maintenance of the open source software or related solution. Share article matthew webb.

1 open source software security risks. The use of open source software is increasing and not just from unsanctioned installations on company equipment. Such risks often don t arise due to the quality of the open source code or lack thereof but due to a combination of factors involving the nature of the open source model and how organizations manage their software. There is a somewhat higher risk compared to proprietary software that open source violates third party intellectual property rights and open source users receive no contract protection for this higher risk.

Coverity scan provides free deep scans of open source software that include the common weakness enumeration cwe sans top 25. Read on to find out the five open source security risks you should know about. The community nature of open source opens you to risks associated with project abandonment. Open source code helps software suppliers to be nimble and build products faster but a new report reveals hidden software supply chain risks of open source that all software suppliers and iot.

Open source software appears to offer real benefits and may present a feasible alternative to vendor specific. An analysis of the commercial risks associated with the use of the open source software. There are also free tools for assessing the risks in open source software and containers.