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Linux is a family of open source Unix-like operating systems based on the Linux kernel, an operating system kernel first released on September 17, 1991 by Linus Torvalds. Linux is typically packaged in a Linux distribution (or distro for short).

Distributions include the Linux kernel and supporting system software and libraries, many of which are provided by the GNU Project. Many Linux distributions use the word "Linux" in their name, but the Free Software Foundation uses the name GNU/Linux to emphasize the importance of GNU software, causing some controversy.

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Have we been running insecure software since the arrival of AI? (lemmy.ml)

submitted 1 week ago by trilobite@lemmy.ml to c/linux@lemmy.ml

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I do about a monthly update of my Debian machines. Today I did the usual monthly update and noticed loads of packages uploading from the "security" branch. I've had the impression (just an impression) that more and more packages are being updated from security over the past many months. Trixie has been out for a while now and I would have thought that less and less updates should be coming from security. Has anyone had this sensation and if so has anyone linked this to AI finding more holes in OSS that would have normally been found by human scrutiny? Has there been any official research into this? And if this is true, does it mean that we have been running insecure software all along? Or is there is there a risk that AI start filing patches that actually make it less secure because software maintainers are not being rigorous in verifying who is submitting the patch? AI must be changing the paradigm of software development more than any other area of our lives and I can't still work out if in a better way or not.

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[–] Shimitar@downonthestreet.eu 14 points 1 week ago (2 children)

Yes, simply put software is so complex, so many layers, that without a little critter working it's ass off to find any possible stupid bug it was just too complex to find

[–] trilobite@lemmy.ml 6 points 1 week ago (2 children)

What really caught my attention was that in the update of today, the rsync package maintainer had to announce that he/she was jumping to version 3.5 because of "33 CVEs" ... how can a software like rsync that has been around for so long have 33 CVEs shipped in just one update. I'm not a software developer but that sounds like a lot of CVEs?

[–] slazer2au@lemmy.world 18 points 1 week ago

Not all cve are actual problems. Some can be this function sets an int while that function reads it as a float so it can cause an issue on some obscure corner case that 99.999% of people will not run into.

[–] Shimitar@downonthestreet.eu 11 points 1 week ago

Yes very possible.

Are they all serious issues? Almost certainly not.

Should those be fixed anyway? Well, why not? After all if the software is not abandoned, there is no need not to fix those.

[–] PattyMcB@lemmy.world 4 points 1 week ago (1 children)

I think you meant "no"

The "insecurities" were there before AI. AI is just flagging every little thing now.

[–] Shimitar@downonthestreet.eu 2 points 1 week ago

Of course , sorry not English native... I seen your point.