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submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by Socialphilosopher@lemm.ee to c/nostupidquestions@lemmy.world

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?

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[-] Whirlybird@aussie.zone 16 points 11 months ago

No, open source code is no safer than closed source code by default. What it does is gives the opportunity for people to verify that it’s safe, but it doesn’t mean it is safe. Also just because some people have “verified” that it is safe doesn’t mean they didn’t just miss the vulnerabilities or nasty code.

[-] GlowHuddy@lemmy.world 3 points 11 months ago

Agreed. I'd say with open source it is harder to 'get away' with malicious features, since the code is out in the open. I guess if authors were to put those features, open nature of their code also serves as a bit of a deterrent sice there is a much bigger possibility of people finding out compared to closed source. However as you said it is not impossible, especially since not many people look through the code of everything they run. And even then it is not impossible to obfuscate it well enough for it not to be spotted on casual read-through.

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this post was submitted on 26 Jul 2023
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