Contributor: Anthony Dezonno, Chief Engineer, Boeing
In systems engineering, the V-Model remains a trusted framework for managing complexity across the development lifecycle, from requirements gathering to validation and deployment. Its strength lies in the structured verification and validation steps that ensure a system meets its intended purpose. But in today’s cyber-threat landscape, building systems that merely function correctly isn’t enough. They must also be secure by design.
That’s where the competencies reflected in the Systems Software Integrator (SSI) certification become particularly valuable. One core SSI competency, “Interface and Data Flow Security,” aligns directly with critical phases of the V-Model, especially as systems move from design into integration and testing.
In the left leg of the V, where system architecture and component-level design are developed, SSI-aligned practices help engineers identify data exchange points and system interfaces that could pose security risks. These aren’t just technical details; they’re often the entry points for attacks. Applying secure design principles at this stage ensures that both hardware and software elements communicate safely and reliably, and that any assumptions about trust boundaries are explicit and testable.
As the V-model moves to the right leg, these same interface definitions come under scrutiny during unit, integration, and system testing. SSI best practices help validate that components do not just work together functionally, but do so without introducing vulnerabilities—such as insecure protocols, unvalidated inputs, or improperly secured system calls.
Finally, in the deployment and maintenance phases, the SSI framework supports ongoing validation of system behavior as configurations evolve, software is patched, or components are replaced. This ensures that the integrity of the original design is preserved.
By embedding secure integration practices across the V-Model, organizations can better fulfill not only their functional requirements, but also their growing obligation to protect systems against cyber threats. The SSI approach doesn’t disrupt the V-Model—it reinforces it, making it more robust in the face of today’s engineering realities.
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Anthony Dezonno serves as Chief Engineer for Boeing’s Open Source Program Office. He specializes in intellectual property concerns surrounding engineering. He is listed as inventor in over 100 patents worldwide, and referenced in more than 2,000 patents. He has a broad skillset that includes innovation & intellectual property management, program management, project management, open source licensing, hardware engineering, systems development, engineering & supplier management, software export & import requirements.