The security of open source software is a key concern for organizations planning to implement it as part of their software stack, particularly if it will play a major role. Currently, there is an ongoing debate on whether open source software increases software security or is detrimental to its security. There are a variety of different benefits and drawbacks for both sides of the argument.

The main concern is that because free and open source software (FOSS) is built by communities of developers with the source code publically available, access is also open to hackers and malicious users. As a result, there could be the assumption that FOSS is less secure than proprietary applications. This assumption has a name – it is called “Security through obscurity” – an attempt to use secrecy of design or implementation to provide security. Unfortunately, security through obscurity can give you a false sense of security and ultimately lead to an insecure system. Continue reading →