Open Source
In-depth guides and analysis on open source from the Safeguard engineering team.
252 articles
Gold Open Source: A Free Directory for the Whole Supply Chain — Now in Your Browser
Gold Open Source is Safeguard's free, no-login directory of security-verified open-source software. It now covers AI models, MCP servers, agent skills, chip manufacturers, and the full MITRE ATT&CK framework — and ships as a Chrome extension.
npm package signature verification: the 2026 rollout state
Every package on npm is signed by the registry, but the actual posture of install-time signature verification across real-world tooling is patchier than the headline suggests. This is where npm audit signatures and downstream verifiers stand in 2026.
A practical framework for assessing single-maintainer project risk
Truck factor is the headline metric, but it is not enough. Here is a working framework for evaluating single-maintainer projects in your dependency tree without panicking or being naive.
Maintainer burnout is a supply-chain risk: lessons from xz-utils
The xz-utils backdoor was made possible because a single exhausted maintainer accepted help from a patient and well-resourced stranger. Sustaining critical maintainers is now a security problem, not just a moral one.
The bootloader supply chain: what an OS vendor controls versus inherits
Between firmware and the kernel sits a thin layer of code that almost no one audits and almost everyone trusts. Understanding the supply chain behind shim, GRUB, and u-boot is the difference between owning your boot path and renting it.
Nodemailer npm: A Security Review and Safe Usage Guide
Nodemailer is the default way to send email from Node.js. It is well maintained, but email is a classic injection surface. Here is a security review and how to use it safely.
Tailwind Vue Components: Vetting Them Before You Ship
Tailwind Vue components speed up UI work, but every third-party component library is a dependency you inherit. Here is how to pick and audit them safely.
How to Set Up Tailwind CSS with Vue 3 Safely
Getting Tailwind CSS working in a Vue 3 project takes a few minutes. Keeping the toolchain secure and your bundle clean is what separates a throwaway demo from production.
npm chai: A Security Review and Safe Usage Guide
Chai is a staple assertion library for JavaScript testing. Here is an honest look at the security profile of the npm chai package and how to keep it out of your production bundle.
Open Source Risk Management: Beyond Vulnerability Scanning
Vulnerability scanning catches known CVEs. But open source risk goes deeper — license compliance, maintainer health, dependency freshness, and supply chain attacks.
@angular-devkit/build-angular: A Security Guide to the Angular Build Package
@angular-devkit/build-angular is the build toolchain behind the Angular CLI. Most of its security risk is transitive, coming from the build and dev-server dependencies it pulls in.
Is the mammoth npm Package Safe? A DOCX Converter Security Review
The mammoth npm package converts .docx files to HTML, but CVE-2025-11849 showed how a crafted document can read files off your server. Here is what to check.
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