The Hidden Crisis in Open Source Sustainability
The internet runs on open source software. From web servers to encryption libraries, countless projects form the digital backbone of modern life. Yet many of these vital components face an uncertain future as their original maintainers step away, leaving projects archived and unmaintained. This creates a growing security risk for every organization that depends on them. Enter Chainguard, a company founded by Dan Lorenc, which has taken a bold approach to keeping these foundational pieces alive: forking archived yet widely-used repositories to provide ongoing security maintenance and dependency upgrades.
The Problem: Abandoned but Essential Code
Open source projects often begin with enthusiastic volunteers. Over time, maintainers burn out, move on, or simply lose interest. When a repository is archived—marked as read-only by its owner—it signals that no further updates are coming. However, the code doesn't disappear. Thousands of companies and developers still rely on these libraries, often without realizing they're using unmaintained code. This creates a dangerous vulnerability surface. Without security patches, these projects become ticking time bombs for supply chain attacks.
Why Projects Get Abandoned
Several factors contribute to abandonment:
- Maintainer burnout – The unpaid labor of keeping a project secure and up-to-date becomes overwhelming.
- Lack of funding – Without financial support, developers cannot justify the time commitment.
- Shift in priorities – Original authors may move to other interests or jobs.
- Community fragmentation – Disagreements lead to forks, but the original repo may be left dormant.
Forking as a Lifeline
Chainguard’s strategy is both simple and radical: fork the archived project—create a copy of the entire codebase under new management—and then maintain it actively. This isn’t about creating a new project; it’s about preserving the existing one by injecting fresh resources. The forked repository receives the same care that a maintained project would: vulnerability patches, dependency updates, compatibility fixes, and new releases.
The Difference Between a Fork and a New Project
A fork retains the original codebase’s identity, making it a drop-in replacement for users. Developers can update their references with minimal friction. This contrasts with creating an entirely new library, which would require massive re-adoption efforts. By forking, Chainguard ensures continuity while addressing the security gap.
Security Maintenance and Dependency Upgrades
Once a project is forked, the real work begins. Security maintenance involves monitoring vulnerability databases, applying patches, and issuing timely releases. But modern software also relies on a web of dependencies—other libraries that the project itself uses. If those dependencies become outdated, the entire chain is insecure. Chainguard’s team performs dependency upgrades to keep the entire stack current.
- Audit – Scan the forked codebase for known vulnerabilities and outdated dependencies.
- Patch – Apply security fixes and upgrade dependencies to safe versions.
- Test – Run comprehensive tests to ensure no regressions.
- Release – Publish new versions with clear changelogs.
Dan Lorenc’s Vision: Practical Open Source Stewardship
In a conversation with industry analyst Ryan, Chainguard CEO Dan Lorenc explained the company’s mission: “We are keeping the foundation of the internet alive.” He emphasized that many critical projects are too important to let fade away. Rather than waiting for a crisis, Chainguard proactively identifies archived repos that still have millions of users and steps in.
Why Chainguard, Not the Community?
While community-led forks exist, they often suffer from the same sustainability problems. Chainguard brings dedicated resources—security experts, release engineers, and long-term funding. This professional approach ensures that maintenance continues beyond a single volunteer’s capacity. Lorenc believes this model can scale to protect the entire open source ecosystem.
Impact on the Internet’s Foundation
The consequences of Chainguard’s work ripple across the software supply chain. When a widely-used library gets security updates, every downstream project benefits. This reduces the attack surface for exploits that target abandoned code. Companies no longer have to choose between using a trusted but dead library or migrating to a new, unproven one.
Real-World Examples
Chainguard has forked several prominent projects. For instance, they took over maintenance of CVE-2023-XXXX-affected libraries that had no active maintainer. By patching the vulnerability and releasing updates, they prevented potential breaches in thousands of applications. Their work also includes upgrading key dependencies like OpenSSL-adjacent tools and data parsing libraries.
How Organizations Can Benefit
Any company using open source software can leverage Chainguard’s forked repositories. The key is vendor trust—ensuring the fork is actively maintained and backed by a reliable entity. Organizations should:
- Audit their dependency tree for archived or unmaintained projects.
- Evaluate Chainguard’s forked versions as drop-in replacements.
- Monitor the security advisories from the new maintainers.
Conclusion: A Model for Open Source Resilience
Chainguard’s approach—forking archived repos and providing professional security maintenance—offers a pragmatic solution to a systemic problem. It doesn’t replace the need for better open source funding, but it buys time and protects the infrastructure we all rely on. As Dan Lorenc put it, “We can’t let the lights go out on the projects that power the internet.” With dedicated stewardship, those lights will stay on for years to come.