Many organisations are making use of cloud-based open source to build, manage and secure their systems. Many companies are adopting open source, without realizing that they have chosen to utilize managed services.
One example of this broad usage can be seen in Kubernetes which is the most popular containers orchestration software. It doesn’t matter if you’re using open source components and codes whether you know or not it is important to know the impact their use can have on your.
Source Components in the Cloud. Open Source Components on the Cloud
You can utilize open source as a cloud platform in its entirety or as tools in the cloud or a component of cloud-based applications.
Open Source Platforms
Open cloud platforms that are open source comprise OpenStack as well as CloudStack. They can be used independently as well as in hybrid setup with cloud providers that offer proprietary cloud. Clouds built with open source technology utilize a mixture of providers for processing storage, networking, and resources. You can also utilize them to create cloud clouds with your existing equipment as well as data center.
Open Source Tools
The most commonly used open source software include Ansible as well as GitLab. They are frequently employed to improve the functionality of cloud services that otherwise are inaccessible or expensive. The majority of open source software requires hosting.
There are also open source software tools such to provide Software as a Service (SaaS) as well as infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) and Platform as a Service (PaaS). These tools are generally offered as a no-cost or feature-based part of a subscription. A growing number of open source tools are provided as managed services by cloud service providers too.
Open Source Code
If you are able to include open source software in cloud applications you can utilize it in the form of libraries, frameworks or code snippets. These are added when developing applications. Examples include Docker, Apache Spark, and Bootstrap.
Kubernetes is a Kubernetes cluster that integrates AWS and Docker
Risques associated with Using Open Source
If you decide to incorporate open source platforms, tools and codes in your systems, it’s essential to be aware of the potential risks. Knowing the risks will assist you in directing security resources and secure your system.
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1. Insufficient Support
Open source software generally don’t come with any kind of support for customers. However, this can be changed the case if you opt to use managed services or an annual fee for hosting or other features. For most open source products the only source of support is from the community around the product.
Open source support is not officially as well as less organized than traditional support and contributors aren’t required to assist you. It is possible to ask the community for assistance and are advised to do so, however it’s not accessible all the time or at any time. You must also be involved in the community in order to keep up-to-date with the latest issues and to learn the best practices to implement your plan.
2. Risks of Liability
The risk of liability from open source components stem from many different angles. The first concern is licensing. There are more than 200 open source licences. Each having different rules and restrictions. It is your responsibility to decide if you are legally permitted to make use of open source components, and for what purpose. It is also the case for any products you use that make use of open-source components.
The third issue concerns security. If open source components employ unsafe practices and your information is compromised you are responsible. For traditional platforms and applications the vendor is responsible for the security of their product at the level of code. In the case of open-source components, efforts by the community are undertaken to ensure the security of code, but they aren’t guaranteed.
3. Well-known vulnerabilities
The vulnerabilities in open-source components are revealed by the community as well as public oversight agencies. Attackers may use the public vulnerability information to quickly attack companies.
The risk is usually amplified when using the public cloud because the use of resources requires an exposure to Internet. A good example of this is the situation that occurred with Equifax in 2017, when they did not apply an update that was released two months prior. The public’s knowledge of vulnerabilities can pose a danger and an advantage. The benefit is discussed in the following section.
The benefits of using Open Source
In deciding whether or not to utilize open source software It is important to understand what the advantages of implementing are. Once you are aware of the benefits, you are able to compare them with the possible dangers to make an informed choice.
1. Community Supportive
Open-source software is developed by a group of contributors. The community-based nature of the components implies that a variety of knowledge and expertise are incorporated into the creation of. This also means that more eyes are scrutinizing and evaluating the functionalities and security of the code. Contributors are typically committed to creating a great product, and not just trying to complete a project.
Another advantage of collaboration with the community is the fact that patch patches are released faster than the use of proprietary products. Making vulnerabilities publicly known is advantageous since more people can deal with the issue. In addition, certain organizations that publish information on weaknesses provide resources for addressing and reducing the risk. One such resource is the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) is a prime instance.
OWASP is an open-source community, and many open-source contributors employ its guidelines when writing code. While it’s true that the OWASP Top 10 list of vulnerabilities isn’t foolproof however, it can be used to narrow your on security resources.
2. Control and portability
Open-source software is completely mobile and work with any compatible system. As an end user, you’re in total control over the component as well as the information it contains. The portability and control means that you do not have to worry about locking into a particular vendor as when you use proprietary components.
Additionally, you are able to avoid the added danger of providing data as well as access to your environment to third-party vendors. Open-source code is completely transparent and is freely accessible for inspection. You are aware of how your data is being processed. With access to the source code, you can modify components to meet your particular requirements, provided that you have the skills to program.
3. Cost Savings
Cost savings are the number one benefit enjoyed by many open-source users. Open-source software is generally cost-free, at a minimum, but with a restricted features or with a limited capacity. The free use of these components or the lower cost let companies operate with less money and improve their competitiveness for small businesses.
Open-source also has benefits when you have technical debts, such as equipment or data center. For instance, open source cloud-based platforms could be utilized to create private clouds using the existing infrastructure. Be aware that these savings are accompanied by more maintenance and time requirements over managed alternatives.
Conclusion
It is highly unlikely that you will be able to completely avoid open-source components completely. Recent research has revealed that of 1200 codebases more than 90% of them are employing at least one open source component.
Although you might not be deliberately incorporating these elements, the software that you’re using are likely to be. It’s essential to understand the dangers you face when using open-source software. When you are aware of the dangers, you’ll be better able to protect your data and system and make the most of open-source software.
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