I’m note a programmer. I Don’t Understand Codes. How do I Know If An Open Source Application is not Stealing My Data Or Passwords? Google play store is scanning apps. It says it blocks spyware. Unfortunately, we know that it was not very successful. So, can we trust open source software? Can’t someone integrate their own virus just because the code is open?

  • pjhenry1216@kbin.social
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    1 year ago

    There are more people looking than there are elsewhere. And unless you’re suggesting the authors as being malicious (which can happen), most FOSS is reviewed. Especially larger ones. You can tell by the number of contributors. Smaller projects will surely be an issue, but popular ones do get reviewed, simply because many people want to be able to contribute.

    It’s almost certainly more than proprietary though. Like, all these risks still apply to proprietary.