The White House is taking significant steps to enhance the security of open source software, which is vital for the digital economy. A new office within the Department of Homeland Security is dedicated to examining the role of open source software in critical infrastructure and addressing the risks it faces from cyberattacks. This effort comes in response to concerns raised by the hacker community and aims to provide better resources and support to developers in the software supply chain. The administration has made it a priority to address vulnerabilities, particularly after the Log4J incident highlighted existing security issues.
| Signal | Change | 10y horizon | Driving force |
|---|---|---|---|
| White House studies open source security | From insecure to secured open source | Enhanced security for critical systems | Need to protect economy from cyber threats |
| National Cyber Director focuses on infrastructure | From reactive to proactive security measures | Improved resilience against cyberattacks | Vulnerability exposures like Log4J highlighted |
| Dedicated office for software ecosystem security | From informal support to structured approach | Regular assessments of vulnerabilities | Increased attacks on open source platforms |
| Collaboration with national labs for security | From isolated projects to collaborative research | Shared knowledge in software security | Need for expertise in securing infrastructure |
| Push for memory-safe programming languages | From diverse to standardized coding practices | Fewer vulnerabilities in software code | Desire for improved software safety standards |