Developers use open source software as a means of expressing their political views, but what are the consequences?
In today's world of software development, professionals do not create their products from scratch, but use ready-made components, similar to the car manufacturing process, where parts are borrowed from various manufacturers. This rule applies to both open source software and products developed for commercial purposes. Developers often reuse elements created by other specialists.
However, in an open source software ecosystem with millions of individual components, there is a question of security. What if someone inserts malicious code into their component to protest certain world events? Such cases have already occurred, leading to hacking of users computers in some countries. Because of the close interconnection in the software ecosystem, even a small contribution or change can have significant consequences.
Sometimes the main developer of an open source project may accidentally make a mistake. However, in recent times, against the backdrop of global conflicts, some developers have turned their projects into cyber-test tools aimed at drawing attention to certain problems by targeting devices in certain regions.
Other developers prefer less drastic measures, introducing messages or documents into their programs with calls to support their ideas and positions.
In a study on the impact of global politics on software ecosystems, three main types of so-called "protest" software were identified: malware that damages or controls devices without the user's knowledge; harmless software that aims to raise awareness of political or social issues; and developer sanctions that affect the ecosystem Software in general, such as restricting the sale of products or blocking accounts.
The role of open source software in the world of software engineering has changed over the last decade. Large companies that previously opposed open source software are now actively contributing to its development. However, the appearance of "protest" software caused a loss of trust in open source software, which may require the introduction of a certification process to confirm its origin.
Education plays a key role in overcoming these challenges. Many computer science and software engineering curricula do not pay enough attention to ethics, but examples related to "protest" software can become visual material for training. It emphasizes the importance of studying social and human aspects in the context of the rapid development of technologies and AI, as well as the need for proper interaction between people and artificial intelligence.
In today's world of software development, professionals do not create their products from scratch, but use ready-made components, similar to the car manufacturing process, where parts are borrowed from various manufacturers. This rule applies to both open source software and products developed for commercial purposes. Developers often reuse elements created by other specialists.
However, in an open source software ecosystem with millions of individual components, there is a question of security. What if someone inserts malicious code into their component to protest certain world events? Such cases have already occurred, leading to hacking of users computers in some countries. Because of the close interconnection in the software ecosystem, even a small contribution or change can have significant consequences.
Sometimes the main developer of an open source project may accidentally make a mistake. However, in recent times, against the backdrop of global conflicts, some developers have turned their projects into cyber-test tools aimed at drawing attention to certain problems by targeting devices in certain regions.
Other developers prefer less drastic measures, introducing messages or documents into their programs with calls to support their ideas and positions.
In a study on the impact of global politics on software ecosystems, three main types of so-called "protest" software were identified: malware that damages or controls devices without the user's knowledge; harmless software that aims to raise awareness of political or social issues; and developer sanctions that affect the ecosystem Software in general, such as restricting the sale of products or blocking accounts.
The role of open source software in the world of software engineering has changed over the last decade. Large companies that previously opposed open source software are now actively contributing to its development. However, the appearance of "protest" software caused a loss of trust in open source software, which may require the introduction of a certification process to confirm its origin.
Education plays a key role in overcoming these challenges. Many computer science and software engineering curricula do not pay enough attention to ethics, but examples related to "protest" software can become visual material for training. It emphasizes the importance of studying social and human aspects in the context of the rapid development of technologies and AI, as well as the need for proper interaction between people and artificial intelligence.
