Open Source Security: Chaos, Collaboration, and the Cost of “Free”

Open source software plays a critical role in modern technology stacks, yet it presents unique security challenges, as discussed by Dr. Katie Paxton-Fear and security expert Grant Ongers in a recent episode of Security Rulez. The conversation highlights that open source security is not inherently more or less secure but depends heavily on governance, such as who manages releases and how vulnerabilities are addressed. The real challenge lies in the scarcity of developer time to remediate issues quickly, even as AI tools make vulnerability detection faster. This situation is compounded by the social dynamics where companies may offload security findings onto volunteer maintainers without offering substantial support. Effective open source security requires a shift in mindset from "free" software to shared responsibility, emphasizing the importance of timely patches, active maintenance, and contributing resources, not just funding, to support the ecosystem. The conversation underscores the need for better alignment between development and security teams to reduce friction and enhance collaboration, advocating for proactive contributions like patch submissions and prioritizing security as integral to product quality.