“Open source code tends to be more secure than proprietary
software, but it isn’t always. Simson Garfinkel pokes holes in
some common dogma and offers suggestions for future
development.”
“The theory of open source security is simple, and it is endemic
throughout the entire open source community. The theory is so
pervasive, in fact, that it can be reduced without much effort to a
four-word mantra: Source code breeds security.”
“Most open source proponents instinctively believe this theory.
I used to, but increasingly I’ve come to regard the theory as a
kind of dogma that substitutes for critical thinking. Open source
software is frequently more secure than proprietary software, but
it doesn’t have to be. In this series of columns I intend to
explore why, and to make some suggestions for future
development.”