Improving the Safety and Security of Software Systems by Mediating SAP Verification

Abstract

Security and performance (SAP) are two critical NFRs that affect the successful completion of software projects. Organizations need to follow the practices that are vital to SAP verification. These practices must be incorporated into the software development process to identify SAP-related defects and avoid failures after deployment. This can only be achieved if organizations are fully aware of SAP verification activities and appropriately include them in the software development process. However, there is a lack of awareness of the factors that influence SAP verification, which makes it difficult for businesses to improve their verification efforts and ensure that the released software meets these requirements. To fill this gap, this research study aimed to identify the mediating factors (MFs) influencing SAP verification and the actions to promote them. Ten MFs and their corresponding actions were identified after thoroughly reviewing the existing literature. The mapping of MFs and their corresponding actions were initially evaluated with the help of a pilot study. Mathematical modeling was utilized to model these MFs and examine each MF’s unique effect on software SAP verification. In addition, two case studies with a small- and a medium-sized organization were used to better understand the function these MFs play in the process of SAP verification. The research findings suggested that MFs assist software development organizations in their efforts to integrate SAP verification procedures into their standard software systems. Further investigation is required to support the understanding of these MFs when building modern software systems.