During which phase of the system development lifecycle is certification and accreditation performed?

Certification and accreditation are key components of the system development lifecycle that focus on ensuring a system meets defined security requirements before it is put into operation. This process is primarily associated with the Implementation phase. During Implementation, the system is brought into operation after all development and configuration activities are completed.

In this phase, the system undergoes rigorous testing to validate that the security controls are in place and functioning as intended. Following successful testing, the certification process assesses the system's security posture against established criteria. If the system meets these criteria, it receives accreditation, which grants permission to operate within its intended environment.

While other phases like Acquisition/Development and Operations/Maintenance involve important activities, they do not focus explicitly on the certification and accreditation process, which is a critical checkpoint occurring right before a system goes live. Therefore, the implementation phase is the most appropriate context for discussing certification and accreditation activities.