Concepts

What Is the LGPL License? Linking and Weak Copyleft

The GNU Lesser GPL is a weak-copyleft license designed for libraries. It lets proprietary software link to LGPL code without becoming GPL. Here is how the linking rules actually work.

Jul 5, 20266 min read

Introduction to Vulnerability Scanning

Vulnerability scanning is how teams find known weaknesses before attackers do. This guide explains what a scanner actually does, the main types, how a scan works end to end, and how to turn a wall of findings into a short list of things worth fixing.

Secure Defaults, Explained

Secure defaults mean the out-of-the-box configuration is the safe one, and weakening it requires a deliberate opt-in. Here's why the default state decides most real-world security outcomes.

Jul 4, 20267 min read

Symmetric vs Asymmetric Encryption: What's the Difference?

Symmetric encryption uses one shared key for both locking and unlocking. Asymmetric encryption uses a key pair, one public and one private. One is fast; the other solves the key-sharing problem.

What Is a Security Patch

A security patch is a small update that fixes a specific flaw in software. Here is what patches are, why applying them quickly matters, and how teams manage them.

What Is an Artifact Attestation?

An artifact attestation is a signed, machine-readable claim about a software artifact, bound to it by digest. Here's how the in-toto structure works and what kinds of claims it carries.

What Is a Secure SDLC (Secure Software Development Lifecycle)?

A Secure SDLC embeds security activities into every phase of software development — from planning to production — instead of bolting a security review on at the end. Here's what each phase looks like and how to build one.

What Is the AGPL License? The Network Copyleft, Explained

The GNU Affero GPL closes the SaaS loophole: it extends copyleft to software used over a network. Here is what AGPLv3 requires, why companies treat it cautiously, and what it means for you.

What Is OSV (Open Source Vulnerabilities)?

OSV is an open, ecosystem-native vulnerability database that expresses affected versions in precise, machine-matchable ranges. Here is how it works and why scanners rely on it.

Encryption vs Hashing: What's the Difference?

Encryption scrambles data so it can be unscrambled later with a key. Hashing turns data into a fixed fingerprint that can never be reversed. One protects secrets; the other verifies them.

Understanding SBOM Formats

A software bill of materials is only useful if tools can read it. Two standards dominate — SPDX and CycloneDX — and knowing what each captures, how they differ, and when to use which is the difference between an inventory that works and one that gathers dust.

What Is a Software Dependency

A software dependency is outside code your program relies on to run. Here is what dependencies are, why modern apps have so many, and why they matter for security.