Using Open Source in Your Web Applications: What to Watch Out For

Today, our guest blogger, Gilad David Maayan, explains key factors to watch for when using Open Source libraries in our own applications

What Is Web Application Development?

Web application development is the process of creating applications for the World Wide Web. These applications, which are often referred to as web apps, are accessed through a web browser and can be used for a wide variety of purposes, such as conducting online transactions, providing information, or allowing users to interact with each other.

Web application development typically involves the use of programming languages such as HTML, CSS, and JavaScript to create the user interface and functionality of the web app. It may also involve the use of databases and server-side languages to store and manage data, as well as the use of web frameworks and other tools to help streamline the development process.

What is Open Source Security?

Open source security refers to the security of software that is released under an open source license. Open source software is software that is made available to the public with the source code included, allowing anyone to view, modify, and distribute the software.

Open source security is concerned with ensuring that open source software is secure and free from vulnerabilities that could be exploited by attackers. This involves regularly reviewing the code for potential vulnerabilities, implementing secure coding practices, and providing timely updates and patches to fix any discovered vulnerabilities.

To ensure the security of open source software, it is important to consider security throughout the software development lifecycle (SDLC). This involves incorporating security practices and considerations at every stage of the development process, from planning and design to testing and deployment.

Some best practices for securing open source software throughout the SDLC include the following:

• Plan for security—as part of the planning phase of the SDLC, it is important to consider potential security risks and vulnerabilities and develop a plan to address them. This may involve conducting a security assessment, identifying potential vulnerabilities and threats, and developing a strategy for addressing them.
• Implement secure coding practices—during the development phase, it is important to use secure coding practices to reduce the likelihood of vulnerabilities and other security issues. This may include using secure libraries and frameworks, properly handling user input, and following best practices for coding in the language used.
• Conduct regular security testing—throughout the development process, it is important to regularly conduct security testing to identify and address potential vulnerabilities. This may include static code analysis, dynamic testing, and penetration testing to simulate real-world attacks and identify vulnerabilities.
• Provide timely updates and patches—once the software is released, it is important to provide timely updates and patches to address any discovered vulnerabilities, to protect users and application data from potential attacks.

Open Source Security Risks in Web Applications

Using open source software in web applications can bring many benefits, such as access to a large and active community of developers, a wide range of high-quality libraries and frameworks, and cost savings compared to proprietary alternatives. However, there are also some risks associated with using open source in web applications that organizations should be aware of. These risks include:

Keeping Track of Open Source Components and Updating Them

Web applications often depend on a large number of open source libraries and frameworks, which can make it difficult to manage dependencies and ensure that all required components are compatible and up to date.

If these components and libraries are not kept up to date, they may become outdated and vulnerable to new security threats and attacks. This can leave the overall software vulnerable, as attackers may be able to exploit these vulnerabilities to gain access to the software or steal sensitive data.

In contrast, proprietary software typically does not include as many third-party components and libraries, which means that there are fewer potential vulnerabilities to keep track of. This can make it easier to ensure the security of the overall software, as there are fewer components to update and maintain.

License Compliance

Open source licenses are legally binding agreements that govern the use of open source software in web applications and other products. Many open source licenses require that organizations using the software make their own source code available to others, or that they attribute the use of the software in their own products.

To ensure compliance with open source licenses, organizations should:

• Review the licenses of all open source software used in their web application and understand the requirements and obligations of each license.
• Ensure that all open source software is properly attributed in the application, including in the application's documentation and online presence.
• Make the source code of the web application available to others if required by the licenses of any open source software used in the application. This may involve hosting the source code on a public repository, such as GitHub, or making it available upon request.
• Ensure that any modifications or enhancements made to open source software are properly documented and made available to others if required by the licenses of the software.
• Implement processes for regularly reviewing and updating the open source software used in the web application to ensure that it remains up to date and compliant with the licenses.

Insecure Configurations

Insecure configurations in web applications can expose them to security threats and vulnerabilities that can compromise the confidentiality, integrity, and availability of data and systems.

Some open source software may have insecure default configurations, such as allowing unencrypted communication or exposing unnecessary services or ports. It is important for organizations to review and modify these configurations to ensure that their web applications are secure.

Vulnerabilities are Public Knowledge

Web applications that use open source software may be vulnerable to security threats that affect the open source components they use.

Many open source projects maintain public databases of known vulnerabilities and provide patches or updates to address them. One of the main risks of open source software is that potential vulnerabilities in the code are shared in databases such as the Open Web Application Security Project (OWASP) and the National Vulnerability Database (NVD). Attackers can easily access and use this information to find and exploit vulnerabilities in open source software.

It is important for organizations to regularly check for and apply these updates to ensure that their web applications are protected against known vulnerabilities.

Conclusion

In conclusion, using open source in your web applications can be a great way to save time and resources. However, it's important to be aware of the potential drawbacks and risks, such as the need for careful licensing and potential security vulnerabilities. By taking the time to thoroughly research and vet the open source tools you use, you can ensure that your web applications are both cost-effective and secure.

Are there other security issues we missed? How do you protect your web application vulnerabilities? Post your comments below and let's discuss.