Software Quality Assurance: The underlying framework for achieving secure and reliable software systems

Abstract

Software Quality Assurance (SQA) has evolved as a necessity for all organizations developing software as both internal and external customers are becoming increasingly demanding in their information system requirements. Information systems are also increasing in complexity making the development of reliable and secure software systems a challenge to even the best of the breed. By analyzing fundamental business strategies and current technology trends for software development, one arrives at the conclusion that the introduction and institutionalization of a quality management system (QMS) establishes the necessary framework for achieving secure and reliable software systems. This paper will introduce the concepts of SQA and software process improvement (SPI) as well as the interrelationship between the quality, the reliability and the security of software systems. Finally, having concluded that a systematic handling of SQA is required, an overview of a QMS design approach is presented as SQA is put into practice by means of an effective QMS.