Open Source Risks

This section of the OSBOK breaks down the different types of risks that enterprises face by consuming or contributing to open source software.

The Risks

Codebase Risk

Open source software may have hidden costs, such as maintenance, support, security, and compliance. Users and contributors need to be aware of the total cost of ownership and the implications of using different licenses.

Data Leakage Risk

Data leakage risk refers to the potential for sensitive or confidential information to be unintentionally or maliciously disclosed outside of an organization, leading to potential harm to the organization's reputation, finances, or legal standing.

Legal Risk

Legal risk refers to the potential for an organization to face legal consequences and financial or reputational harm as a result of its actions or decisions that violate laws and regulations.

Strategic Risk

Strategic risk refers to the potential for adverse outcomes resulting from decisions made by an organization's leadership regarding its long-term goals, objectives, and competitive position.

Dependency Risk

Software dependency risk refers to the potential negative consequences of relying on external software components that can compromise the security, performance, quality or functionality of an organization's software systems.

Operational Risk

Operational Risk refers to the risk of loss resulting from inadequate or failed internal processes, human errors, systems or external events.

Reputational Risk

Reputational risk refers to the potential harm to an organization's reputation and credibility as a result of its actions or decisions.

Staff Risk

Staff risk refers to the potential for negative consequences as a result of the actions or decisions of employees, such as fraud, data breaches, or compliance violations.