Dealing With Security: A Multiple Case Study on Software Architects

While security has long been a significant issue in military systems, the spread of the internet has stimulated a growing interest in, and increasing demand for, secure systems. Understanding how architects manage security requirements in practice is a necessary first step in providing repeat-able processes using effective techniques, methods and architectural structures. The authors present the results of multiple case studies of practicing security architects: key aspects in security requirements, critical issues in managing security requirements, essential characteristics of security architects, the relationship of security with evolution, and problem solving by security architects.