# Foreign Adversaries Seemingly "Contribute" to Open-Source Software, Report Finds

A recent report by Strider Technologies has uncovered evidence of foreign adversaries subtly contributing to open-source software tools and inserting backdoors into publicly available code used by millions worldwide. Chinese, Russian, and North Korean-affiliated hackers are behind these malicious efforts.

## The Risks of Open Source Code Contributions

Open-source projects rely on contributions from community members to keep them updated with patches. However, this openness comes with a risk: foreign adversaries can use their affiliations to insert malicious code into the software, allowing them to pilfer sensitive data from governments and private sector firms.

### A Glimpse into the Dark World of Open Source

In 2022, a user known as "Jia Tan" attempted to plant a backdoor into XZ Utils, a file transfer tool used in several Linux builds that power software in leading global companies. The incident highlighted the vulnerability of open-source code and raised concerns about the motivations of contributors.

## Malicious Actors in Plain Sight

Strider's research has identified individuals with affiliations to countries like China and Russia contributing to major publicly-available software projects, including:

* **Openvino-Genai**: A code base that lets AI models run on consumer devices. Over 20% of the contributors have connections or work relationships considered national security risks. * **Treelib**: A Python package used to create data structures and visuals with tree plots. The repository owner, "Chen," has contributed 154 times to the package, despite working at Alibaba Cloud, a Chinese cloud computing company known for collaborating with state-affiliated defense conglomerates.

### National Security Risks

One contributor, "as-suvorov," previously worked for MFI Soft, a software company sanctioned by the U.S. for its association with hardware and software development used for Russian intelligence collection. Another contributor, "sbalandi," previously worked for Positive Technologies, a Russian IT company sanctioned by the U.S. in 2021.

## The Importance of Cybersecurity

As open-source code becomes increasingly pervasive, it is essential to prioritize cybersecurity. The use of open-source tools can expose organizations to significant risks, and the lack of transparency around contributors' affiliations only adds to these concerns.

### Addressing the Vulnerability Gap

Over half of critical open source tools are underpinned by code that does not internally manage memory spillover risks, making them vulnerable to exploitation by hackers. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency has highlighted this vulnerability gap, emphasizing the need for improved cybersecurity measures.

## Conclusion

The report by Strider Technologies serves as a wake-up call for the open-source community, highlighting the risks of foreign adversaries exploiting the openness of these software projects. As organizations increasingly rely on open-source tools, it is crucial to prioritize transparency and cybersecurity measures to protect against these threats.