When it comes to software, apps, and plug-ins - can opensource truly be trusted?
I ask thins question because it seems like there are more and more "free" options these days and I have to wonder if they are just turning around and selling user data for profit among other dirty things.
What do you think?
It depends on the team and community behind it. Opensource doesn't always mean trustworthy but in most cases, it tends to be better and more reliable. Instead of one small team working on software, there are dozens if not hundreds that work on a single project and many will take over the software when needed to ensure it stays as up to date and functioning for the latest threats.
I think open source cybersecurity has its drawbacks, it is not inherently less secure than proprietary software though. The transparency and community involvement of open source projects can often lead to faster identification and resolution of security issues which is a massive bonus. But it is worth noting, it is crucial to carefully evaluate the security posture of an open source project and its community before using it!
For the most part, yes. This is down to their transparency. Even still you should always research the team working on the project and make sure they have a trusted community. Fastest way to check this is on Reddit.