Open Source License Compliance

Open Source License Compliance

While open source is free to use, the licenses that they are tagged to need to be obligated with. There are 200+ unique open source licenses, they can be broadly split into two categories –

Permissive Licenses – the obligations are straight forward and usually ask the user to pay credits (more like a note of thanks). The license obligations are usually fulfilled by disclaiming the open source used with details such as name of the author of the code, the URL from where the open source code was downloaded from and by making the open source license text available.

Restrictive Licenses – here, the obligation can be much more than a mere note of saying ‘thank you’ to the author of the open source code. These stringent licenses may warrant release of source code that talks directly to the open source code and at times complete source code of the product that calls on the open source. Safeguarding Intellectual Property (IP) is a deep concern when these licenses come into play.

In order for businesses to know what all open source they have and to be compliant with each of the respective licenses, they will firstly need to create a Software Bill of Materials (SBOM) which comprises all open source used.

Lyra’s Open Source License Compliance Audit service can help inventory all open source used, the time stamped report will also share deep insight into licensing issues, if any.

Who is this intended for?

• Businesses that are wanting to release their product to their end-customers.

   

• Companies that are seeking funding from investors.

   

• Investors who are looking to fund a company.

   

• Businesses that are in the process of being merged or acquired.

   

• Enterprises that are looking to contribute to open source.

   

• Companies that are accepting software from external vendors and third-party commercial grade solutions.