BlackBerry Limited has released new research highlighting the mounting pressure on software engineers and developers to balance rapid innovation with safety and security. The survey of 1,000 embedded software developers and engineers revealed rising concerns over security in operating systems (OS) as well as the compromises they’ve been forced to make in functional safety measures due to internal demands.
While developers cite security (54%), cost control (52%), and safety certifications (48%) as their top considerations when selecting an operating system, the survey also highlights significant downstream challenges in each of these areas that have made the vast majority (74%) of respondents open to changing their existing OS. Indeed, of those required to meet international safety standards, 61% say it is extremely or very challenging to meet these specific standards with their current OS. Security concerns (36%) and performance issues (28%) are the two main reasons respondents are considering changing their current OS.
Worryingly, the survey also revealed that nearly a third (31%) of all respondents admitted that their OS lacked the necessary safety certifications or only had ‘some’ of them covered. This gap has no doubt contributed to delays for two-thirds of organizations as they grapple with the complexity, time, and cost needed to meet evolving safety standards.
Security also remains a pain point for developers, particularly for open-source operating systems, which are more likely to experience a breach (46% vs. 40% for proprietary systems). Of those who have encountered a security breach or vulnerability in their OS, 72% reported delays in project timelines directly due to security vulnerabilities, further exacerbating the challenges of maintaining both innovation and robust, secure systems.
Other key findings include:
- While 73% of organizations prioritize operating system security, the frequency of applying security patches varies, with a notable average of 5 weeks between updates.
- Operating system issues can have a significant impact on project timelines, with 34% of organizations reporting that they have missed deadlines due to OS-related problems, with the average delay globally being one month.
Methodology
Research was conducted in from July to September by Coleman Parkes and commissioned by BlackBerry QNX, surveying 1,000 embedded software developers and engineers across North America (USA and Canada), Europe (UK, France, and Germany), and APAC (Japan, South Korea).
