Open source software can be a sound base for a business, but the label describes how the code is licensed, not how well it has been checked. Safety depends on the specific project, how actively it is maintained, and whether your company tracks what it uses and updates it.
What "open source" actually promises
The Open Source Initiative's definition lists ten criteria, including free redistribution, access to source code, permission to make derived works, and no discrimination against persons or groups or fields of endeavor. Every item is about rights to use and share the code. None of them promises a security audit, a support team or a fix schedule.
Where the risk really sits
Security comes from habits around the code, not from the label.
- Maintenance. Is someone still fixing problems?
- Awareness. Does your company know which projects it uses, including those pulled in indirectly?
- Update discipline. When a fix ships, how long until you adopt it?
- Provenance. Do you fetch the project from its genuine source?
The same is true of bought software
Commercial software has its own flaws and its own hidden parts. A vendor product can contain open source components you never see listed. That is one reason buyers ask vendors for a component list.
A simple health check for any project
| Question | Why it matters |
|---|---|
| When was the last release? | Silence can mean abandonment |
| How many people maintain it? | One person is a single point of failure |
| Is there a security contact? | You need somewhere to report a problem |
| How do we receive fixes? | Updates only help if you apply them |
None of these needs an engineering degree to ask, and the answers guide how much attention a dependency deserves.
What leaders can do
Fund time for upkeep as part of normal engineering work, ask for an inventory of components, and set a target for how fast serious fixes are applied. Treat open source like any critical supplier: understand it, watch it, and plan for the day it changes.
Where Safeguard fits
Safeguard produces SBOMs and scans dependencies, and its reachability analysis shows which findings your code actually uses. You can run a free scan on a repository to see an inventory for yourself.
Quick check
Is open source more or less secure than commercial software?
Neither label decides it. Look at the individual project and the discipline around its use.
Does "open source" mean free to use however we like?
Not exactly. The definition guarantees certain freedoms, but each license has its own terms. Ask legal to review the licenses you rely on.
Sources
Last reviewed: 19 October 2026.
