Experian embraces open source

Experian is embracing open source software as a major part of its tech strategy in the future.

The company previously shied away from open source due to concerns about support and security but the acquisition of several companies already using the software has caused a shift.

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Experian is now looking to implement more open source software across its business and make sure software already being used is deployed efficiently and securely.

Speaking at the RSA security conference in San Francisco, Barbara Fennell, business information security officer at Experian, said: "We began to see a bit of a culture clash forming. Our strategy was in direct conflict with the new companies being acquired. We really needed to bring all these cultures together."

But despite the influx of open source into the group, senior management continued to have concerns about the technology.

Richard Maathey information security manager at CheetahMail - one of the acquired businesses already using open source - said: "We had to appeal to management's desire to integrate new companies."

The company held an open source summit to look at the role open source could play during which it was discovered Apache open source software was already being used in the company.

Fennell said: "We took stock of the situation and saw open source was being used in our organisation. We really didn't want to be in a situation where our policy was out of step with our practices."

She added: "We agreed that open source represented a real benefit to Experian."

Following the summit, senior management came on board and the company set about creating guidelines to implement open source securely and effectively.

Fennell explained: "Our goal at Experian is to use open source and its benefits without compromising security. Managing risk is really much better than avoiding it."