While open source software powers the vast majority of modern applications, its security remains a double-edged sword. Organizations depend on code that’s free, collaborative, and innovative – but this openness creates vulnerabilities that hackers love to exploit.
Fact is, between 70-90% of today’s applications contain open source components. That’s a massive attack surface just waiting for trouble.
The UK government isn’t sitting idle. They’ve proposed sweeping changes to address these risks, including a new Code of Practice for software vendors and standardized procurement clauses. About time, really. They’re also pushing for specialized cybersecurity training for procurement professionals. Because what good is secure code if the people buying it don’t know what they’re looking for?
Security risks aren’t theoretical. Publicly known vulnerabilities, abandoned projects without maintenance, and the nightmare of nested dependencies create a perfect storm. A concerning 84% of assessed codebases contain at least one known open source vulnerability.
Remember Log4Shell? Yeah, that kind of chaos.
Smart organizations are fighting back. They maintain inventories of open source components, patch religiously, and implement automated scanning in their development pipelines. Software Composition Analysis tools provide visibility, while Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs) track what’s actually in the code. Experts recommend regularly reviewing third-party packages for security vulnerabilities before integration into critical systems. Not sexy work, but necessary.
The industry has frameworks too. OWASP Top 10, CIS Controls, NIST Cybersecurity Framework – alphabet soup that actually matters. The OpenSSF Security Scorecard helps assess project health before you commit to using it. Implementing a continuous assessment approach is critical since vulnerabilities emerge daily in the dynamic open source ecosystem.
Looking ahead, supply chain attacks are surging. Attackers aren’t bothering with your fortress walls when they can poison the supplies you bring inside.
DevSecOps practices and AI-powered code analysis are growing in response. There’s also this “shift-left” thing – basically catching problems earlier in development.
Bottom line: open source isn’t going anywhere. It’s too valuable. But using it without security controls? That’s just asking for trouble.
