Security in Open Source Software

Open source software is a type of software whose source code is freely available to anyone and is published under an open license. The term “open source” refers to the openness of the source code, which allows users to view, modify and distribute it. In contrast, proprietary software is protected by copyright and the code is not publicly accessible.

Collaborative development of open source software refers to the process by which multiple developers from the community work together to improve, extend and update the source code of a piece of software. This process is fundamentally different from the development of traditional proprietary software, where the source code is created solely by a limited team of developers.

Backdoors are hidden functions or vulnerabilities in a software that can be built in by developers to gain easy access to the system or data. These functions cannot be easily detected from the outside and enable the developer or other unauthorized persons to manipulate the system.

Security Building Blocks in Open Source Projects

1. Code Reviews

Before changes to the source code are included in the official version, they must be reviewed and approved by other developers. This ensures that the code meets quality standards and does not contain any known security vulnerabilities.

2 Automated Software Tests

Many open source projects have implemented automated tests to ensure that the code works as expected and has no bugs or security vulnerabilities.

3. Static Analysis

Static analysis](https://turingpoint.de/en/security-assessments/static-code-analysis/) looks at the source code without actually executing the software. Various static analysis tools, such as Linter, are used to check the code for possible errors, such as syntax errors or unused variables. The analysis is carried out on the basis of predefined rules and patterns. It is fast and efficient, but cannot capture dynamic aspects of the code.

4. Dynamic Analysis

Dynamic analysis performs actual executions of the code to identify errors. Test cases are created and executed to test the software under different conditions. This enables the detection of runtime errors and other dynamic aspects of the code. However, dynamic analysis is more complex and requires an extensive testing process.

4. External Security Audits

Independent security audits are often carried out by experienced developers, pentesters or security experts to uncover and eliminate potential vulnerabilities.

5. Release Management

Open source software is usually updated and released at regular intervals. These updates often contain bug fixes and security updates. The maintainer should implement a suitable security process here.

6. Community Participation

A large and active community of developers and users can ensure that problems are quickly identified and rectified. The openness of the source code also enables the community to quickly identify and fix vulnerabilities or malicious code.