"Open code is less secure because attackers can study it." This is a widespread myth. The reality is exactly the opposite: source code transparency is a major security advantage, and leading cryptography experts confirm it. Here's why.
Kerckhoffs's Principle
In 1883, cryptologist Auguste Kerckhoffs formulated a fundamental principle guiding modern cryptography: "A system's security must not depend on the secrecy of its algorithm, but only on the secrecy of the key."
In other words, an encryption algorithm must be secure even if an attacker knows exactly how it works. Only the key must remain secret.
This principle applies to security software in general: if software is secure only because its code is hidden, that's illusory security ("security through obscurity").
Why Open Source Is More Secure for Cryptography
Thousands of Eyes on the Code
Proprietary software is examined by a limited internal team. Open source software is examined by thousands of researchers, security experts, and enthusiasts worldwide. Vulnerabilities are detected and fixed much faster.
Major flaws like Heartbleed (OpenSSL) or Log4Shell were discovered and corrected precisely through this transparency. In a closed system, they could have remained active for years.
Independent Auditability
Open source algorithms and implementations can be audited by independent experts. This guarantees that no backdoor (deliberate vulnerability) has been intentionally introduced into the code.
Several governments have secretly imposed backdoors on private security companies. With open source code, such a modification would be immediately visible.
Reproducibility
"Reproducible builds" allow verifying that the binary you download corresponds exactly to the published source code. This verification is impossible with proprietary software.
Concrete Examples of Open Source Security
Linux: the kernel of most servers and Android systems. Its code is constantly reviewed by thousands of developers.
OpenSSL / LibreSSL: the cryptographic library that secures the vast majority of HTTPS connections on the internet.
Signal Protocol: the cryptographic protocol used by Signal, WhatsApp, and many other messaging apps. Open source and audited many times.
Libsodium: open source cryptographic library that implements XChaCha20-Poly1305, used by EchoPass.
Bitwarden: fully open source password manager, regularly audited by independent third parties.
The Limitations of Open Source
Open source doesn't automatically guarantee security. Problems can exist:
The unpaid maintainer problem: many critical open source projects are maintained by volunteers. Their quality depends on the time they can devote.
Code complexity: code that's too complex is difficult to audit even if it's open. Open source quality varies enormously.
Lack of auditing: "open" doesn't mean "audited." Unexamined open source code offers few additional guarantees.
How to Evaluate Open Source Security
Before trusting open source software with sensitive data:
- Check its age and maturity: an established project with several years of active community is more reliable than a recent one.
- Look for security audits: good security software should have been audited by independent experts, with results published.
- Examine the number of contributors and maintainers: a project dependent on a single person is more fragile.
- Check vulnerability tracking: how does the project handle flaw reports? Quickly and transparently?
EchoPass's Transparency
EchoPass uses proven open source cryptographic libraries:
- Libsodium for implementing XChaCha20-Poly1305 and Argon2id
- Standard protocols for all communications (TLS 1.3)
Our security architecture is publicly documented. We believe security through transparency is superior to security through obscurity.