Open-source software enables code review and reuse, but known vulnerabilities and unmaintained dependencies can create cybersecurity risks.
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Background for this topic.
Open source is software whose source code is available under a license that permits use, inspection, modification, and redistribution. It may be developed by a community, an organization, or a small group of maintainers; “open” does not guarantee that the code is actively reviewed, supported, or secure.
For security teams, the main concerns are vulnerabilities in dependencies and the software supply chain: a maintainer account, release process, or package can be compromised, while an unmaintained component may retain known flaws. Public code can enable review and faster fixes, but visibility alone is not a control. Maintain an inventory or SBOM of open-source components, pin and verify versions or signatures where possible, monitor vulnerability advisories, and apply updates through a controlled process.
Continuous Integration Has Its DownsidesAs supply-chain attacks against widely-used, open-source software repositories continue, experts are urging developers to not only rely on code integrity tools, but also to introduce a delay before merging new repos, since unfolding attacks tend to get spotted in days, if not hours or minutes.
Recent Package Compromises Pushed Software Component Trust to the Security AgendaCloudsmith raised a $72 million Series C led by TCV to expand policy enforcement, auditability and real-time package risk analysis as CISOs focus more closely on software supply-chain threats tied to open-source dependencies, AI-assisted development and compromised artifacts.