Google announced funding for 2 full-time engineers to maintain Linux kernel security

The open-source Linux operating system is changing the world in its own way, but surveys show that more open-source software and the Linux kernel need to do more work on security. For example, the widely used open-source encryption software OpenSSL has a very serious heartbleed vulnerability. Obviously, open-source free software also requires more effort in security.

However, open-source software is usually maintained by developers. Only relatively large open-source software such as Linux will establish a foundation and accept donations. Even the Linux Foundation does not have engineers specifically responsible for maintaining security.

Therefore, in order to ensure the security of the Linux kernel, Google recently announced funding for 2 full-time engineers to maintain Linux kernel security.

Google and the Linux Foundation have jointly announced that they will prioritize funding to provide support for the engineers involved in the secure development of the Linux kernel. The two maintainers are Gustavo Silva and Nathan Chancellor.

The Linux Foundation’s Open Source Security Foundation (OpenSSF) and the Laboratory for Innovation Science at Harvard (LISH), conducted an investigation with the Harvard University Innovation Science Laboratory and found that much open-source software requires additional work in terms of security, including the massively popular Linux operating system.

Linux is developed and maintained voluntarily by more than 20,000 contributors. Although there are so many contributors, two full-time security engineers will be able to significantly improve the security of the Linux kernel. This also shows the importance of safety in the sustainability of software development