Software as a Strategic Advantage for National Security

Our nation’s military and civilian government organizations work to protect our nation’s security and deter war. Their capabilities increasingly rely on complex, software-based systems and networks. At the Carnegie Mellon University Software Engineering Institute (SEI), a federally funded research and development center, we work continually to improve software development, use, and security, because organizations need

• Software to do more. Software delivers capability that gives or maintains an edge over competitors or adversaries.
• Software to be deployed rapidly. Being able to put software into use as soon as possible assures timely response to operational needs. Software cost to be affordable. The total cost of software, despite increased capability, needs to be predictable and where possible reduced.
• Software to be secure. Mission- and business-critical software must be free from exploitable defects, especially in today’s environment of rising cyber threats.