If you believe open source is less secure than closed-source software, Ingres (ranked No. 8 in The VAR Guy’s Open Source 50) has a message for you. The open source database specialist is going viral with a low-budget (but effective…) video, which attempts to kill the myth that open source is not secure.
Here’s the video:
The VAR Guy is not suggesting that open source is always more secure than closed source. But generally speaking, you’d think thousands of hackers probing open source code is a good way to weed out bugs and security holes.
In the closed-source world, software companies can only spend so much time and money addressing security holes. At some point in the closed-source world, somewhere after 80 percent or so of the bugs have been found, it takes too much time and money to cost-effectively track down the remaining 20 percent or so of bugs. It’s the law of diminishing returns.
Back in the open source world, there’s always another well-meaning hacker waiting in the wings to look at source code, report a bug and offer a fix.
The VAR Guy’s ultimate take: Is open source less or more secure than closed source? It depends on the project. How’s that for a politically correct answer.
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Tags: Ingres | Open Source Database | Open Source Security | The Open Source 50
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Based on that answer I’d swear the VAR Guy was a seasoned politician.
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Nice video though. I remember a discussion over on Dell IdeaStorm where a Microsofotie thought a malicious hacker could rewrite my OS or something just because he had the source code. This Microsoftie couldn’t fathom it doesn’t matter that the hacker can change his copy. He or she still has to get it onto my machine in the first place.
Aikiwolfie: Seasoned politician? Hmmm. The VAR Guy is about seasoned as Caroline Kennedy