As part of a $10-million grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Georgia Tech’s Research Institute will look at open-source cybersecurity options for possible government use.
Part of what the researchers hope to do is to fight the misconception that open-source software is more vulnerable to attack because the source code is public.
“If someone wants to get into your software, it’s irrelevant” whether or not the code is open source, says Joshua L. Davis, a research scientist at Georgia Tech who is the lead investigator on the project.
If anything, the open nature of the software makes it more adaptable, potentially giving agencies greater flexibility in dealing with security threats, argues John M. Weathersby, director of the Open Source Software Institute, which is also involved with the project. Other participants include the University of Texas at Austin and the Open Information Security Foundation.
The five-year Homeland Open Security Technology program will have three phases. First, researchers will take an inventory of available open software that is in use or could meet government needs. Then, researchers will facilitate connections between agencies and developers that may benefit from collaboration. In the final investment stage, the team will direct money to support particularly promising open-source projects.
Open-source software is often less expensive than proprietary options and could save some agencies money, but Mr. Weathersby cautions that there are costs associated with implementing and maintaining it.
The goal of the project isn’t necessarily to save agencies money or to advocate for one type of software or another, Mr. Davis says. “The whole point at the end of the day is increasing national defense,” he says.
