Linux Foundation reveals shocking truths about open source libraries in apps

A significant report from the Linux Foundation has been released, focusing on the usage of open-source libraries in production applications. This report, known as Census III of Free and Open Source Software: Application Libraries, draws upon over 12 million data points collected from various software composition analysis and application security tools, including well-known platforms such as Black Duck, FOSSA, Snyk, and Sonatype. These tools have been utilized by more than 10,000 companies, providing a comprehensive overview of how open-source components are integrated into real-world applications. One of the key observations of this extensive report is the notable shift towards memory-safe programming, particularly with the surging adoption of the Rust programming language. Rust's emphasis on safety and concurrency has made it increasingly popular among developers as they aim to create more secure applications. The finding highlights an important trend in the software development community, where ensuring the memory safety of programs is becoming a top priority. However, the report also raises significant security concerns surrounding the continued reliance on Python 2, which has been largely deprecated yet still appears in many production codebases. This reliance poses risks to application security and indicates a need for developers to update their dependencies and shift towards more secure, updated programming practices. The report further points out that the lack of standardized naming for components can lead to dependency confusion, potentially allowing for malicious package injections. Such issues underline the necessity for improved governance and management of open-source dependencies within development teams. Overall, the findings of this report shed light on the real-world usage of open-source components and articulate both advancements and challenges within the software community. As organizations increasingly depend on open-source libraries for their applications, understanding these dynamics becomes crucial for enhancing security and promoting best practices in software development.