TrueCrypt Abandoned by Its Creators

Ellen Messmer reports that the open-source security tool True Crypt was suddenly abandoned by its secretive creators. The creators are reported to have sent a message to the open source community stating that "Using TrueCrypt is not secure as it may contain unfixed security issues." Messmer reports that the abandonment of TrueCrypt leaves computer users with no free alternative for encypting files.

This episode highlights the lack of accountability or support for some open source products. My recommendation would be to limit freeware or open source purchases to those with contact information to a responsible party, just as I would want an author listed for data I was going to rely upon.

-DD