ZDNet: Assessing the Risks of Open Source

“As organizations seek to control software license costs and
press forward with Java initiatives, open source is an appealing
alternative.

“However, IT leaders are increasingly concerned with liability
and security surrounding the use of open source. IT organizations
must develop policies and procedures to aid in assessing the risk
associated with all code utilized in the organization…

“Several risks are associated with using application software
developed by others, such as copyrights and patents, liability,
security, and quality. Commercial software brings a certain sense
of safety by assigning specific rights, defining legal limits, and
providing a named commercial entity that theoretically stands
behind the code. When it comes to open source, the picture becomes
murky. IT organizations (ITOs) must define rules of use based on
where software is obtained and utilize software tools to evaluate
third-party software.

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