Why We Made Defguard Open Source

You may be wondering: why is Defguard open source?

As of January 2024, a pivotal change took place in Switzerland. The new Swiss EMBAG law officially supports the use of open source software across federal administration. This marks a huge step toward more transparency, better collaboration, and stronger digital sovereignty

One of the most exciting aspects? When the Swiss government builds software, it’s now required to publish the source code — unless there’s a clear legal reason not to.

This move is especially critical for open source security solutions, which play a vital role in safeguarding government infrastructure. With transparent code and community-driven development, these tools provide a much-needed level of auditability and trust — both essential for protecting public systems in an increasingly digital world.

We expect other countries to follow Switzerland’s lead, realizing that openness, sovereignty, and security are not in conflict — they’re fundamentally connected.

For us, this is a powerful signal. It reinforces our belief that our strategic decision to build Defguard as a fully open source and self-hosted solution is in line with where the world is headed. We’re not just following a trend — we’re building the new standard.

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Michał Gryczka Co-founder, CRO, Defguard
mike@defguard.net
defguard.net