Secure Consumption of Open Source Software: Evaluating, Utilizing, and Contributing Safely

The consumption of open source software is on the rise, offering immense opportunities for innovation and collaboration. However, ensuring the security of open source software requires careful evaluation, utilization, and contribution.

This talk will dive into the key considerations for securely consuming open source software. Attendees will learn to evaluate projects based on active maintenance, patch cycles, and vulnerability management. We will explore the role of project documentation, code contribution expectations, and community involvement in project maturity and code quality. The talk will also cover challenges in consuming open source software, the benefits of utilizing tooling and static analysis, and important developments in the open source security community.

Key Points:

- Evaluating projects based on active maintenance, patch cycles, and vulnerability management.

- Understanding the significance of project documentation and community involvement.

- Challenges in consuming open source software and managing dependencies.

- Utilizing tooling and static analysis to enhance security during development.

- Shifting security left.

- Open source security community activities, such as OpenSSF projects and ways to get involved.

Join this session to gain practical insights into securely consuming open source software and contribute to a more secure and collaborative open source ecosystem.