^ top ^Demand 14: Promotion of Free and Libre Open Source Systems
In stark contrast to proprietary software, free and open software affords independent inspection and review -- which is not in itself a guarantee for security. However, the likelihood of hidden backdoors is drastically reduced. The whole community can perform such reviews. In order to be effective, reviews must be done by competent and independent auditors and inspectors.
Our detailed demands:
- Free and open software must be promoted and employed by public institutions, this concerns especially IT systems in critical infrastructures.
- Public institutions must perform, promote and guarantee competent and independent inspections and reviews.
- A realistic communication of risks is needed to avoid the illusion of security.
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