Trilight Zone

[digital8]

I will refrain from doing any more Microsoft bashing today and just want to post my ideas on why Open Source has greater potential to be secure than it's rival Closed Source code.

I am sure many of you have read a number of papers about this issue. Being a programmer myself I have learned to value another set of eyes and ideas when developing new software. In the Open Source world we have a huge advantage in that if I post a new program where folks can get the source, and they like the idea.

I may get thousands of programmers testing and debugging my program and giving me feedback or publishing their fixes or ideas for changes. Some if not most of those talented individuals are going to test the security of the code for exploitable logical errors and the like. Problems and potential security threats are discussed openly, and changes are made if they need to be whether just to make the program better, more secure, more fun, or all of the above. FreeBSD is a fantastic example of a responsible Open Source leader. When there was a security issue discovered with the last telnet version they posted it right at the top of their home page in nice large bold print so everyone would notice the warning as soon as they got there. The folks at OpenBSD are in the process of going through all of the legacy code looking for any nasties that may some day come up.

We all know what you get with Closed Source software. Even if it is buggy as hell, they will still make you buy the upgrade which is really a patch to fix all of the problems that they were too lazy to fix with deadlines and profits and all. I know, I used to be one of those `code grinders'. Now I am a Sys Admin at a large company and work on Open Source projects in may spare time. That story ends with me sleeping a lot better at night. Even if the servers do crash at O' dark thirty.

As for security in general, both have been hit hard. If one is going to win, my bet is on Open Source and the benevolent people who make it work and strive every day for a better, more secure poroduct. In the mean time the only answer to the security issues that plague us all is eternal vigilance and an unblinking eye.