Free and open software has become integral to modern technology, driving innovation across the application stack, particularly in security. This model enables rapid discovery and resolution of security issues due to its collaborative nature and wide usage. Elastic, a key player in this space, transitioned its security features to a free and open model, enhancing its offerings with capabilities like role-based and attribute-based access control to meet diverse user needs. Elastic's approach not only fosters innovation through its community engagement but also emphasizes transparency and collaboration, aligning with enterprise demands for accessible source code. Elastic's unified architecture supports enterprise search, observability, and security, leveraging the Elastic Stack to accelerate the evolution of its solutions. Despite not adhering to Open Source Initiative-approved licenses, Elastic's "free and open" model is considered sufficient for most enterprise requirements, continuing to resonate with customers and partners.