In order for security to be an enabler, security should be involved when?

• A. Early in the project
• B. After design is complete
• C. Only during testing
• D. During deployment only

Answer: (A)

Security needs to be woven into the project from the very start so it can act as an enabler rather than a bottleneck. When security is involved early, you can shape the system’s design around strong protections—model threats, define concrete security requirements, and choose controls and architectures that support confidentiality, integrity, and availability from the ground up. This proactive approach helps developers build securely without big rework later, and it aligns risk management with business goals.

If security is added only after the design is finished, you’ve missed the chance to influence the core architecture and key decisions. Security fixes become costly, may require substantial redesign, and can introduce delays or scope changes that undermine the intended outcomes.

Trying to rely on security only during testing or only during deployment misses the opportunity to prevent issues in the design and implementation phases. Vulnerabilities and misconfigurations get baked in, making it harder to fix and more likely to impact users and operations.