The Types of Risk Levels in OSS RBA

Low Risk

Low-risk OSS components are typically mature projects with large communities, stable releases, and robust security practices. These projects have stood the test of time. Examples might include widely used libraries like jQuery or mature Linux distributions. They often have extensive documentation and are actively maintained.

In an RBA, these low-risk components usually pass with minimal scrutiny. Organizations might still monitor them for vulnerabilities, but the probability and impact of a security or compliance issue are generally low. This level is suitable for non-critical applications or for components that are purely internal and don’t handle sensitive data.

Medium Risk

Medium risk OSS components show some indicators that warrant more attention. They might be relatively new projects or ones with smaller contributor bases. While they could be well-designed and functional, they may lack extensive vetting over time. Medium risk also comes into play if the component integrates with sensitive systems but doesn’t directly handle critical data.

Here, organizations often perform more detailed security scans, look closely at the licensing, and establish mitigation plans. This might include having alternatives in mind or additional testing to ensure the component behaves securely under expected workloads.

High Risk

High-risk components are those that pose a significant potential impact if something goes wrong. This category typically includes OSS that:

• Handles sensitive customer data

• Interfaces directly with financial systems

• Is relatively new with limited adoption

• Lacks clear documentation or is no longer actively maintained

A high-risk designation doesn’t automatically mean an organization won’t use the software. Instead, it triggers deeper reviews, possibly involving security audits, legal analysis of licensing, or requiring specific safeguards like sandboxing. The goal is to understand the exposure and take proactive steps to reduce it.

Critical Risk

At the top is the critical risk level. OSS components in this bracket are either known to have severe, unresolved vulnerabilities or violate core business or regulatory requirements. Examples might include libraries with unpatched critical CVEs or licenses incompatible with the organization’s IP strategy.

Critical risks often result in outright rejection of the component or demand extraordinary mitigation steps, such as heavy isolation, strict monitoring, or contractual indemnification from vendors.

Conclusion

An effective OSS RBA hinges on properly classifying risk levels. By segmenting components into low, medium, high, and critical risk categories, organizations can allocate resources intelligently—applying rigorous checks where needed without bogging down innovation everywhere else. In the fast-moving world of open source, knowing the risk levels is the first step toward using OSS confidently and responsibly.