BOULDER, Colo., Nov. 18, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The FreeBSD Foundation, in collaboration with the Alpha-Omega Project, has released the findings of a comprehensive security audit report conducted by offensive security firm Synacktiv. This audit, covering two critical FreeBSD components – the bhyve hypervisor and the Capsicum sandboxing framework – reflects the Foundation’s leadership and culture in proactively addressing software security risks and reinforces the critical need for open source software supply chain security.
As open source software is widely deployed across commercial, noncommercial, and academic settings—whether used directly or integrated into other systems—any vulnerability can pose risks. The Alpha-Omega Project, an associated project of the Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) and the Linux Foundation, is dedicated to improving the resilience of the open source software supply chain. By funding security audits and encouraging the adoption of best practices, the Alpha-Omega Project ensures that essential open source projects like FreeBSD are secure and trustworthy.
“The FreeBSD Foundation’s sponsorship of a security audit of bhyve and capsicum is an important step for the FreeBSD Project,” said Gordon Tetlow, Security Officer of The FreeBSD Project. “Through publicly disclosing its findings, we are taking proactive measures to secure FreeBSD and the broader software ecosystem. With open source software underpinning much of today’s critical digital infrastructure, The FreeBSD Foundation, in collaboration with the Alpha-Omega Project, is ensuring the security of the software supply chain.”
The FreeBSD Foundation has a long-standing commitment to security, transparency, and accountability, which is why the Foundation felt it was important to release the full Synacktiv audit report. By openly communicating potential risks and the measures taken to address them, the Foundation aims to empower its users. This proactive approach helps minimize the likelihood of supply chain compromises, ensuring that FreeBSD remains a secure platform for users worldwide.
The Need for Open Source Software Supply Chain Security
The FreeBSD Foundation's participation in this audit reinforces its commitment to enhancing software supply chain security within the open source community. By identifying and addressing vulnerabilities, the Foundation enables developers, companies, and users to trust FreeBSD without worrying about compromised software components. This effort aligns with the goals of the Alpha-Omega Project, which seeks to strengthen the security of high-impact open source projects.
In 2023, Alpha-Omega issued over $2.8 million in grants to support open source supply chain security. These grants had a notable impact on enhancing open source security initiatives. The funding helped to staff security teams, run audits, and improve infrastructure among widely used open source ecosystems like the Python Software Foundation, the Eclipse Foundation, the Rust Foundation, the FreeBSD Project, and many more.
Download the Full Security Audit Report
The FreeBSD Foundation invites all users, developers, and security researchers to access and review the full audit report. The community can contribute to an even stronger, more resilient FreeBSD by engaging with these findings.
Download the full report here.
The Future of Open Source Security
The FreeBSD Foundation and the Alpha-Omega Project are committed to continuing their work on strengthening the open source software supply chain. This audit is just one step in a broader mission to secure open source software at every layer, from development practices to end-user implementations. As part of this commitment, future updates will address ongoing vulnerabilities, and the Foundation will remain transparent in its efforts to improve security.
About the FreeBSD Foundation
The FreeBSD Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to supporting the FreeBSD Project and community. Accepting donations from individuals and businesses, the Foundation uses funds to develop features, employ software engineers, improve build and test infrastructure, advocate for FreeBSD through in-person and online events, and provide training and educational material. Representing the FreeBSD Project in legal affairs, the Foundation stands as the recognized entity for contracts, licenses, and other legal arrangements and is entirely donation supported. Learn more at freebsdfoundation.org.
About the Alpha-Omega Project
Alpha-Omega is an associated project of the OpenSSF, funded by Microsoft, Google, and Amazon, and with a mission to protect society by catalyzing sustainable security improvements to the most critical open source software projects and ecosystems. The project aims to build a world where critical open source projects are secure and where security vulnerabilities are found and fixed quickly. For more information, please visit https://alpha-omega.dev.
For more information, visit the FreeBSD Foundation's website.
