The challenge of dealing with deprecated packages

The increasing reliance on open-source software coupled with the accelerated pace of software development has created a growing need for support of deprecated packages. The significant majority of open-source software packages are not actively maintained, meaning vulnerabilities are not patched, thereby leaving systems open to attack. Malicious actors often target deprecated open-source packages for this very reason. 

In addition to increased vulnerability risks, deprecated packages can become incompatible with modern systems or libraries. This leads to performance issues, making it more difficult to extend your application’s life. 

Using deprecated packages also increases your technical debt. The longer you put off replacing updated code, the more complicated it becomes to resolve the issues it incurs. 

This is why we are excited to announce an exclusive partnership between Mend.io and HeroDevs. HeroDevs NES (Never-Ending Support) keeps deprecated packages maintained, saving you the cost and hassle of migration while also keeping your software versions secure and compliant. 

Value of a joint partnership between Mend.io and HeroDevs

Mend.io helps developers keep their applications secure by identifying outdated and vulnerable open-source packages and providing recommendations for updating to newer, safer versions.  However, sometimes those updates don’t exist because the package is no longer supported. 

While developers are capable of fixing issues with deprecated packages they use, it is a risky, costly, and time-consuming task. That’s where HeroDevs comes in. They provide continued support for deprecated packages, ensuring there’s always a safe, updated version available.

Benefits of HeroDevs NES

By combining the power of the Mend AppSec Platform with HeroDevs NES, our joint customers achieve:

• Reduced Risk: The use of deprecated packages leaves applications at risk. Pairing the Mend AppSec Platform with HeroDevs NES proactively addresses vulnerabilities in deprecated packages, reducing the risk of data breaches caused by unmaintained packages.
• Increased Compliance: Compliance standards like PCI DSS, HIPAA, and GDPR require companies to take measures to protect sensitive data.  HeroDevs NES adds extended support to deprecated packages that can leave applications vulnerable to attacks, putting companies out of compliance.
• Time and Money Savings: Manually patching deprecated packages can be a time-consuming and expensive process for developers. HeroDevs NES provides upgrade paths for these packages, accelerating remediation, saving costs, and freeing developers to focus on building new features and delivering value faster.

With the power of both the Mend AppSec Platform and HeroDevs NES, you can rest easy that your software supply chain will be well-protected from vulnerabilities, malicious packages, and performance issues that stem from deprecated packages.

*** This is a Security Bloggers Network syndicated blog from Mend authored by Lisa Haas. Read the original post at: https://www.mend.io/blog/mend-io-herodevs-partnership-eliminate-risks-in-deprecated-package/