The post Paper Synthesis: Open Source Software: Trust, security, and legal protections appeared on BitcoinEthereumNews.com.

This article was first published on Dr. Craig Wright’s blog, and we republished with permission from the author. This Annotated Bibliography has centered on examining open-source software, focusing mainly on its aspects of trust, security, and the associated legal rights. It started with an emphasis on the trust fostered by open-source development, primarily because of its inherent transparency, which allows for collective inspection and enhancement of the source code (Ghosh et al., 2005). It was highlighted that such transparency is often absent in closed-source or proprietary software, resulting in potential trust issues (Aksulu et al., 2010). Security advantages of open source software were discussed, emphasizing that the open nature of the source code allows for wide-scale auditing and bug detection, hence improving the software’s security. This concept was grounded in “Linus’s Law,” suggesting that the more individuals review a code, the more likely problems are identified and rectified promptly (Leicht, 2018). Conversely, the auditing of closed-source software is challenged by its inaccessible source code, potentially leading to unnoticed vulnerabilities (Zhao & Elbaum, 2003). The Annotated Bibliography further highlighted that open-source software is not equivalent to public-domain software, emphasizing the potential legal protection of open source. Various licenses, patents, and database rights can protect open-source software, thus balancing software transparency and legal protection (Ghosh et al., 2005). The final part of the Annotated Bibliography discussed the relevance of open source to Bitcoin’s trust model. It was underscored that the open nature of the Bitcoin protocol is not for modification purposes; instead, it facilitates trust by allowing the code to be audited and verified by anyone (Riehle, 2007). In conclusion, the AB emphasized that the transparency, auditability, and legal protection of open-source software serve as a mechanism to foster user trust and security, with implications for various digital systems, including Bitcoin. Paper Synthesis: Open Source Software: Trust, security,…

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Filed under: News - @ December 29, 2023 6:24 am