IDC Analyst Report: The Open Source Blind Spot Putting Businesses at Risk

As enterprises expand the use of open source software, so do the challenges they face in understanding the scope of open source software used throughout the organization and the corresponding exposure. Without clear insight into the software supply chain, the business faces significant risk associated with exposure to vulnerabilities and risk associated with improper licensing.

Our increasing dependence on embedded software in all facets of life has made the software supply chain a critical issue—sometimes threatening to human life. Examples include the 2020 ransomware incident that impacted a hospital in Germany, causing it to turn away patients, putting lives at risk, and, in 2021, a bad actor who attempted to poison a Florida city’s water supply by gaining access to the SCADA control system.