[$] Open-source security is not a solo activity
Open-source maintainers often face the problem of lacking time to do all the work their project needs, leading to suboptimal results and security risks. At the 2026 Open Source Summit North America, Robin Bender Ginn spoke about this issue and the responsibilities of users. Ginn emphasized the importance of funding security work for open-source projects, stating that security improvements come from structure and funding, not heroics.
- ▪Many open-source maintainers lack the time to do all the work their project needs, leading to burnout and security risks.
- ▪Technical signals of decline in open-source projects include CVEs taking longer to be fixed and the release cadence slipping.
- ▪Funding security work for open-source projects is crucial, as it provides the necessary structure and resources for dedicated security engineering.
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By Joe BrockmeierJune 3, 2026 OSSNA Over time, many open-source maintainers face the same problem: they lack the time to do all of the work that their project needs, and no one else is stepping up to provide adequate help. Maintainers, though, are often reluctant to throw in the towel. The result is suboptimal all around; the maintainer is stressed out, project quality suffers, and users face security risks that they may not be fully aware of. At the 2026 Open Source Summit North America, Robin Bender Ginn spoke about this problem, when it might be time for maintainers to pass the torch, and the responsibilities of users. Ginn is the executive director of the OpenJS Foundation, which promotes adoption and development of JavaScript technologies.
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Excerpt limited to ~120 words for fair-use compliance. The full article is at LWN.net (Linux Weekly News).