Google Introduces New Tool to Make Open-Source Software More Secure

Google Introduces New Tool to Make Open-Source Software More Secure

Google has started a new project that will help protect open-source software from hackers who try to sneak harmful code into popular packages used by developers. The project is called OSS Rebuild, and it's meant to stop software supply chain attacks before they reach millions of users.

Open-source software (OSS) is used everywhere—from mobile apps to websites, to government platforms. Developers often rely on public package libraries like npm (for JavaScript), PyPI (for Python), and Crates.io (for Rust). These libraries host thousands of free tools that programmers can easily add to their projects.

But there's a big problem: some attackers try to upload fake or modified versions of these packages, hiding harmful code inside. If a developer unknowingly uses one of these bad packages, the entire app or website could be at risk.

That’s where OSS Rebuild comes in.

Google's new system checks the software packages and tries to rebuild them from scratch. If the rebuilt version doesn't match the original, something might be wrong—maybe someone added hidden code. This helps security teams know which packages they can trust and which ones need a closer look.

The tool also helps with:

• Verifying where a software package comes from

• Making sure the code hasn't been changed by a hacker

• Helping companies respond faster when a new vulnerability is found

• Making software more transparent and trusted

If a package can't be rebuilt automatically, Google provides a way to build it manually while still checking it for any suspicious changes.

With tools like OSS Rebuild, Google hopes to make open-source software much safer for everyone—especially for developers and companies that depend on free tools to build their apps and services.