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.
The campaign is laser-targeted, bucking the trend of "spray-and-pray" malicious open source packages turning up in code repositories seemingly every other day.
Accenture researcher undercut WHfB's default authentication using open source Evilginx adversary-in-the-middle (AitM) reverse-proxy attack framework.
The JavaScript downloader malware known as SocGholish (aka FakeUpdates) is being used to deliver a remote access trojan called AsyncRAT as well as a legitimate open-source project called BOINC
Many nations see open source software as a great equalizer, giving the Global South the tools necessary for sustainable development. But recent supply chain attacks highlight the need for security.