COTS: Technical Issues Functionality provided may not remain what you need over time Few parts in a software system truly independent May need wrappers and patches as substitutes for real source-code-based maintenance Differences(e.g, timing) may be introduced in new products What happens when support from Cots vendor ceases? Can user change requests be satisfied? May be trojan horses or security flaws in COTS software and almost certainly will not know until too latec Copyright Nancy Leveson, Sept. 1999 COTS: Technical Issues Functionality provided may not remain what you need over time. Few parts in a software system truly independent. May need wrappers and patches as substitutes for real source-code-based maintenance. Differences (e.g., timing) may be introduced in new products What happens when support from COTS vendor ceases? Can user change requests be satisfied? May be Trojan horses or security flaws in COTS software and almost certainly will not know until too late. �