New Release v1.6 available

We are happy to announce availability of v1.6! Also v1.6 comes with massive new features, focused on process improvements. Read more:

New Features

  • Vulnerability-alert -  It took us quiet a bit, to get the matching towards a reasonable quality, but we manged it after all. You will now get notified by TrustSource, if new vulnerabilities appear for components that you are using in your most recent build.
  • "Action required" items in inbox - Especially for our compliance managers we provide an in box on the dashboard listing all open approval requests. This allows you to immediately see, where action is required.
  • Dependency graph - The so called dependency list is a flat list of all components entering the project even through transitive dependencies. To allow a better understanding of the impact this component has, the graphical display allows to actually _see_ the position within the dependency graph. You may modify the appearance and expand or shrink single nodes for better visibility.

Improvements

  • Improve rule sets - Based on customer feedback and own research, we were able to improve the analysis results of several licenses.
  • Improved maven Plugin - The maven plugin has been extended to support the check functionality allowing to verify components on dev-desktop without the need to push a scan.
  • Improved Jenkins Plugin - Also the Jenkins plugin has been extended to use the transient version of the check-API.

Fixes

  • Add name in register form - Changing your name after having been invited while login in the first time is possible now.
  • Propagate deletion of all members - Changing members of a project respectively a all modules within a project at once has been introduced since a while. But it has not been recognized that the propagation of an empty list does not immediately take effect. This has been fixed now.

Our next version v1.7 will focus on security and extend the login capabilities. We will introduce alternative ways to authenticate and simplify corporate SSO. The given role model has been reviewed and will be tuned towards more flexibility.

If you want to get an overview or some insights in to our roadmap, feel free contacting our sales team! They will be happy presenting you the upcoming steps.

If you feel like there should be some features you do not see on the horizon, please let us know! Our business development or your engagement manager will be happy to hear about your ambitions.


Why does a license matter?

“If someone is publishing his stuff on Github he must accept that it will be used by others!””

Unfortunately we still hear this critical misunderstanding often while finding open source components buried somewhere in source code; without any furtehr declaration of course. Let’s send a few words to discuss this in more detail.

In our western world protection of intellectual property is a high value. The believe that an inventor shall profit from his achievements has been accepted as the driving force of behind our wealth and developed status. That is why it has been protected by intellectual property laws. This insight counts some years already and meanwhile has been established and harmonized internationally through the Berner Convention.

Governing thought has been, that an inventor or creator of a work always will own all rights of usage, modification and all kinds of distribution. This is always valid for a certain period of time after the work has been created. Theperiod depends on the work.

An inventor or creator may transfer his rights to others. The typical form of this transfer is a license.

Without a license, all rights remain with the creator for his protection!

If no license exists, for the protection of the creator, all rights will be assumed as not transferred. Therefor each user of a component without license starts walking on ice. In general nothing might happen immediately. But who knows what will be in the future? Success might make jealous, motivations might change over time. Happy times for all of those, who own a license they may rely on!

But not only that there might be some contributors of open source software getting nasty. There is another relevant aspect of licenses. They also clarify the terms when the right to use is transferred. this will protect you from a usage without right.

In our hemisphere the usage of protected works without right is assumed a criminal act. This might not only cause immense financial damages due to call backs or branding impacts. But also a criminal investigation might be caused.  In some countries this does not even require a plaintiff. This role will be taken by the prosecutor automatically triggered by a suitable  evidence, irrelevant of the source (competition, former employee, original inventor).

To prevent all kinds of damage, it is highly recommended to ensure the availability of and conformity with a license!

To prevent damage, it is highly recommended to avoid using components without a license. But to achieve this, it is essential to know what has been used to build the software and what are the resulting obligations.

TrustSource has been developed to automate this task. Applying the automated scanning you may detect early which components are used and which licenses – or even no licenses – are related.

Our architects may help you to manage critical cases  or identify alternative solutions. Do not wait, start right now in creating transparency!


June 19th, Compliance Breakfast @ Frankfurt a.M.

To achieve a fast Go-to-market for innovative products and services, the application of software, especially open source software is essential.

But, open source software is no free lunch!

What obligations are related to the use of open source software, what triggers the different obligations and what is resulting therefrom? What are athe risks and how to manage them? All this will be part of this informational event. You will receive an overview of the current legal situation as well as practical experiences of the introduction of Open Source Governnace.

0830-0900 Welcome coffee & tea

0900-0915 Introduction of speakers

0915-0945 Current legal situation and challenges (Heinzke)

0945-1000 Questions and discussion

1000-1045 Lessons learned from introducing Open Source Governance in a conglomerate (Thielscher)

1045-1100 Questions and discussion

Tickets can be booked here. To ensure a sound experience, the event is limited to 25 participants. Please note, the event will be in German.