Open Source Software and Security

Many of the issues in cyber security, malware, viruses, etc centers on the vulnerability of proprietary software (e.g. Windows and its family of programs) to code flaws that bad guys can exploit. Proprietary software uses a closed development model where the source code (the inner workings) is guarded by the designer. Open Source (see Linux) on the other hand lets anyone see and add to the code. The theory being that the collective intelligence is greater than any one individual and the potential flaws can be detected and corrected by the forum of users. And the code is made available for free!

What then is the drawback? Mostly it is perception. If it is free it can't be as good or as secure as the one I paid a lot of money to get. A recent memorandum from the US Department of Defense's Chief Information Officer is an effort to debunk that idea. The memo implies that software that has undergone a peer review process is often more secure than proprietary models. It encourages agencies to consider open source in future procurements. It goes on to state that open source software may be modified at will as the need changes in the future.

For more info check out this article at Nextgov.com

Georgetown University: Cyber Security, Law, and Policy

Georgetown University: Cyber Security, Law, and Policy

Posted using ShareThis

Excellent panel discussion on policy isssues surrounding cybersecurity in the US. Discusses the problem in getting Congress and the public to see cybersecurity as a risk and threat to national security.

Policy efforts have lagged in recent months as the White House and Congress are focused on healthcare and other issues.

Factual vice inflamatory. Pentagon leads the way as others stand and wait.