Source URL: https://news.slashdot.org/story/24/11/24/0414244/github-announces-new-open-source-fund-with-security-mentoring?utm_source=rss1.0mainlinkanon&utm_medium=feed
Source: Slashdot
Title: GitHub Announces New Open Source Fund with Security Mentoring
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Summary: The GitHub Secure Open Source Fund has been launched with a commitment of $1.25 million to support open-source projects. This initiative aims to provide funding and mentorship to maintainers of critical software, thus enhancing the overall security and sustainability of open-source ecosystems.
Detailed Description:
The GitHub Secure Open Source Fund is a significant initiative aimed at bolstering the security and maintenance of open-source projects. Here are the key points that highlight its relevance:
– **Initial Commitment**: GitHub has launched this fund with an investment of $1.25 million from various contributors, including notable companies like American Express, 1Password, Shopify, Stripe, and Microsoft.
– **Funding Application Process**: The fund is open for applications until January 7, 2025, with applications being reviewed on a rolling basis. GitHub aims to support projects that have the most significant impact but currently lack sufficient resources.
– **Historical Context**: The fund builds upon previous initiatives by GitHub, such as GitHub Sponsors and the GitHub Accelerator program, showcasing a continued commitment to open-source sustainability.
– **Focus on Security**: The initiative emphasizes the importance of security in open-source projects. GitHub is particularly interested in projects that need financial help but also lack the necessary maintenance for security audits.
– **Impact on the Community**: By providing financial resources and structured support through mentorship, certification, and training, GitHub aims to unlock more funding for the open-source community, which reportedly amounts to approximately $7.7 billion annually.
– **Research Insights**: A recent report revealed that 86% of investments in open source come from employee contributions, with a mere 6% of organizations prioritizing comprehensive security audits. This highlights the need for targeted funding to address security vulnerabilities.
– **Long-term Vision**: GitHub is committed to monitoring the impact of this funding initiative and sharing insights to improve the support for open source further.
In summary, the GitHub Secure Open Source Fund is a crucial step towards ensuring not only the financial sustainability of open-source projects but also enhancing their security frameworks. For professionals in the fields of AI, cloud, and infrastructure security, this development is particularly pertinent as it responds to the growing need for solid security practices in widely-used open-source components.