Open source safe despite increased attacks

Open source continues to increase in popularity. As a result, it is targeted by cybercriminals more often. Nevertheless, open source is safe and reliable because of the multitude of auditors and the continuous flow of developments.

Open source increasingly popular

Open source continues to increase in popularity, both in SMEs and Enterprises. And even many former opponents have now embraced open source. This means that more and more ICT systems are provided with software whose source code is viewable and customizable by everyone. But is that more dangerous than closed source software? No, security through obscurity often causes more problems. People with malicious intent can often obtain the source code anyway. Also, repairs by way of updates often takes a long time.

Open source targeted by cybercriminals more often

The downside of increasing popularity is that investingt in attacks on open source software is a lot more interesting for cybercriminals. A recent report by security specialist WatchGuard suggests that the amount of Linux trojans in combination with IoT (Internet-of-Things) has increased significantly. Also, 30% of malware consisted of so-called “zero days”. These are vulnerabilities that have not been reported yet. This seems alarming, but it is not that bad.

Open source safe because of community

Open source revolves around communities. This means that the software is reviewed by many auditors. There is also a continuous flow of development. This makes it harder to develop malicious software that works for a longer time. When vulnerabilities are found, you do not have to wait months for them to be fixed. In many cases, the solution is ready, tested and audited by hundreds of developers within a few days. This makes open source safe and reliable.

Expertise is required

One of the most important forms of protection is deploying (security) updates frequently. With closed software this can be a problem. Often, installing updates implies extra costs and will only be done when there is a problem. Closing the stable door after the horse has bolted… This is not the case with open source software. Only expertise is required to deploy updates correctly. And that applies to all types of software.

Outsource expertise with 1A services

The services of 1A consist largely of open source software. We combine the operating system packages with our own packages. And we do that in a controlled environment. The entirety is first tested extensively. The resulting software is only made available by way of encrypted sources. Now that’s reliable security. This ensures that customers of our 1A-partners can enjoy the benefits of open source software. And they do not need to have any expertise in software maintenance.