Open-source software (OSS) is popular because it benefits from distributed community support, low total cost of ownership (TCO), transparency, reliability and agility. The collaborative nature of OSS development fosters innovative solutions and accelerates development cycles. Moreover, OSS provides freedom from vendor and developer lock-in, ensuring long-term viability and flexibility for organizations.

However, there are several security risks associated with OSS. Its open nature makes it vulnerable to malicious code injections, a lack of verification and inconsistent support. Publicly disclosed vulnerabilities can be exploited by hackers and inadequate version control may result in the use of outdated and insecure components. Unpatched components present operational security risks and abandoned OSS projects can pose significant threats if they are not properly managed.

To mitigate these risks, our white paper, "Open Source Software - Benefits, Security Risks And Risk Mitigation," recommends several strategies. These include implementing security automation, maintaining an inventory of OSS components, following naming conventions and enforcing policies against copying code from the internet. Additionally, it emphasizes the importance of creating a Software Bill of Materials (SBoM) and integrating OSS components into the DevSecOps pipeline for continuous security analysis. Other suggested measures include production monitoring and runtime application self-protection (RASP) to effectively prevent and address vulnerabilities. By adopting these practices, organizations can take advantage of OSS while minimizing security risks.