The Top Four Vulnerabilities in Your Open-Source Software Solution

Software developers have become increasingly reliant on open-source software due to its flexibility, cost-effectiveness, and scalability. Many software applications are developed using open-source elements that address everyday tasks, solve problems, and otherwise provide a needed solution to front-line coders.

Though this type of software can provide benefits both during development and as part of a finished software solution, its use isn’t without peril. Vulnerabilities in open-source code can put organizations at risk of data breaches from an ever more complex threat landscape.

Keep reading to learn the top four vulnerabilities in open-source software and best-practice recommendations for detecting and addressing these issues.

Defining Vulnerabilities in Open-source Code

Vulnerabilities in open-source code are any potential flaws that can be exploited by malicious actors. These vulnerabilities range from simple brute-force susceptibilities to complex issues requiring sophisticated and coordinated attacks. These vulnerabilities can allow attackers to access sensitive data, steal confidential information, or even take control of an entire system.

Significant Risks Associated With These Vulnerabilities

The risks associated with open-source vulnerabilities are numerous and can lead to severe consequences for the affected organizations if exploited. These risks are more significant now than ever before.

Data breaches can cause organizations to expose confidential information, customer data, and other valuable information assets. Attackers who succeed in exploiting vulnerabilities to access sensitive financial information can cause millions of dollars of losses in moments using fraudulent or stolen identity data.

Reputational damage is another significant risk, as a breach can severely damage an organization's reputation and cause customers to lose trust in the company, which affects an organization's bottom line. In the face of increasing regulatory liability, a successful cyberattack doesn't just mean loss of reputation, customers, and financial losses but also risks exposure to legal penalties, fines and fees.

The Four Most Common Vulnerabilities in Your Open-source Software

Evaluating the risks associated with these vulnerabilities can be informed by how common they are. The most common vulnerabilities found in open-source software are:

1. Authentication Bypass: These vulnerabilities allow attackers to gain access to an application with valid credentials, which can be accomplished in various ways.

2. SQL Injection: SQL injection vulnerabilities allow attackers to execute malicious statements into a database which, when executed, can lead to the exposure of sensitive data, enabling attackers to steal or manipulate data.

3. Cross-Site Scripting (XSS): XSS vulnerabilities allow attackers to inject malicious code into a web application. These attacks can be used to expose data themselves or as part of a larger effort to execute malicious code for a more significant breach.

4. Buffer Overflow: This kind of brute-force vulnerability allows attackers to execute malicious code on a system by overwhelming it with inbound traffic sending more data than it can handle.

The Increasing Importance of Automation

Vulnerability detection within applications can be accomplished in several ways. Secure code review is one of the most successful techniques. Leveraging the power of automated tools is one of the best ways of identifying vulnerabilities with secure code review. Relying on a robust, automated secure code review process enables developers to quickly and thoroughly examine an application’s source code and identify potential security flaws. Organizations can use this process to quickly find and fix vulnerabilities in their open-source code.

Scanning for vulnerabilities in open-source software provides another avenue of success. Here, too, automation offers significant benefits. The appropriate software solution enables developers and security professionals to check an application for known security vulnerabilities to quickly find and address problems in open-source elements of a larger coding project.

Proactively Detecting Vulnerabilities

Organizations must proactively address vulnerabilities caused by reliance on open-source code or its inclusion as an element in a larger codebase. Automation has become necessary, as the amount and complexity of code developers would have to review flawlessly far exceed human capabilities.

Secure code review should be a priority in a development environment. Analyzing the source code of an application and identifying potential security flaws before the launch of an application is necessary to avoid potential exposure to significant business and financial consequences.

Apona offers a variety of tools to help organizations identify and address potential vulnerabilities in their open-source code, such as their Static Application Security Testing (SAST) tool, which can significantly aid in secure code review processes and in otherwise helping organizations quickly identify and address potential vulnerabilities.

Defeating Common Open-source Vulnerabilities

Organizations should take proactive steps to address vulnerabilities in their open-source code. Apona's SCA and SAST tools help organizations identify and address potential vulnerabilities in their open-source code. Using automated tools and a thorough, secure code review process allows developers ensure secure code free of vulnerabilities.