Commercial Off-The-Shelf (COTS) in cybersecurity is a computer hardware or software product made for nearly any user because it is available to the general public for purchase. COTS products are designed to be very user friendly. A typical example of a COTS product is Microsoft Office. COTS products are available off-the-shelf and do not require custom development before installation.
COTS software usually enjoys the following benefits:
In comparison to COTS software solutions, some SMBs attempt to write their own specific software solutions to solve specific problems they face. Now, this may be the only way to solve a problem critical to your SMB. If that’s the case, perhaps go for it. However, know the following risks:
Source: Techopedia
Additional Reading: Using COTS Software To Model Development And Logistics
Related Terms: Closed Source Software, Open Source Software, Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Software End-of-Life (EOL) and End-of-Support (EOS)