No IT security without Free Software

Summary

IT security is one of the most challenging global issues of recent years. But apart from the establishment of countless “cyber security” authorities, politics doesn’t seem to come up with something substantial. However, Free Software can be the solution to many pressing security problems. In this talk, we will look at pros and cons and use concrete examples to illustrate why security and openness are not contradictory.

Description

Trojans shut down hospitals and Huawei’s safety concerns are slowing down the 5G expansion worldwide. The state of IT security is troublesome, as the inflationary founded “cyber security” authorities and centers prove. But only recently people outside of the IT scene start to recognise the importance of Free and Open Source Software for security.

Free Software is an important component of IT security. However, experience has shown that it is not only the license that fixes critical programming errors and structural flaws. Max Mehl will therefore show in this talk how and in what form Free Software can provide a plus in security, and why it is so important to make decision makers understand this as quickly as possible.

But where there is light, there is shadow. This is why the lecture will also deal with potential disadvantages and cases of consideration as well as with typical counterarguments.

Speaker

Max Mehl (FSFE)

Bio

Max Mehl is programme manager at the Free Software Foundation Europe (FSFE) and coordinates initiatives in the areas of politics, public awareness and licensing. But he is also frequently to be found in the virtual server room of the FSFE. He sees Free Software as an important component to solve urgent technical and social problems. Every day he is fascinated how many advantages software freedom brings for different aspects - from ethics to politics and economy to security technology.