Techniques to secure open source software

Attackers are increasingly targeting open source projects, seeking to exploit holes in software that millions of organizations rely on as the foundation of their technology stacks. The staggering 280% year-over-year increase in software supply chain attacks in 2023 serves as a stark warning: open source projects and their leadership must elevate security to their highest priority.

Reported incidents targeting JavaScript, Java, .NET, Python, and other ecosystems reached 245,000 attacks in 2023 alone—more than double the total incidents from 2019 to 2022 combined. These attacks have grown not only in frequency but in sophistication. The Log4j vulnerability that emerged in March 2022 illustrates this evolution, demonstrating the complex and mature threats that open source projects must now defend against.

Complacency creates risk

While open source leaders largely recognize the importance of security, development pressures often push security concerns aside. Organizations need to implement measures that continuously and proactively address potential security threats—protocols that remain rigorous even during crunch time. This consistent vigilance is essential for eliminating vulnerabilities before attackers can exploit them.

Open source projects hold a critical position: they safeguard the foundation that thousands of organizations worldwide build upon. When a fundamental vulnerability emerges, as demonstrated by Log4j, attackers systematically exploit it across every deployment of that software. The impact cascades through the entire ecosystem.

Open source leaders must champion proactive security through concrete, measurable actions. Essential practices include rigorous code reviews, continuous monitoring, static analysis, and regular security audits—all fundamental to building reliable, secure systems. A robust security framework should encompass strong governance, well-designed architecture, and clear incident response protocols, preparing projects to handle emerging security challenges effectively.

Zero-trust builds modernize open source software security

Zero-trust builds modernize open source software security by implementing three core principles: continuous validation, least privilege access, and system lockdown that assumes potential breaches. This security-first approach enables robust tooling and development processes through several key strategies that include reducing external dependencies to minimize attack surfaces, implementing transparent and tamper-proof build processes, and enabling third-party verification to ensure binaries match their source code. Every component must earn trust—and never be automatically granted.

A Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) brings visibility and security to software components 

A strong SBOM provides open source projects with a complete inventory of all components used in development and deployment. This transparency strengthens both license compliance and supply chain security through comprehensive component tracking.

The Linux Foundation’s August 2024 guide, Strengthening License Compliance and Software Security with SBOM Adoption, offers practical implementation strategies aligned with industry best practices. The FreeBSD project exemplifies these principles through its innovative SBOM tooling, which enables users of the open source operating system to track every software component, version, and license in their installations. By developing a straightforward standard for SBOM implementation, FreeBSD is making these security benefits accessible to the broader open source community.

Getting started

Open source project leaders can strengthen their security practices by using resources from the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF), The Linux Foundation’s SBOM guidance, and security experts within the community. The path forward includes implementing proven security measures such as code audits, zero-trust builds, and comprehensive SBOMs. By elevating security to a top priority, open source projects not only protect their own software.

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