Security is one part of software quality, not a synonym for it. Security focuses on protecting information and systems; quality asks whether a product meets a wider range of stakeholder needs in its intended conditions. Software can be secure yet slow, unreliable, difficult to use, or hard to maintain—and it can be polished or fast without being adequately protected.
What is the difference between security and quality in software?
The difference is scope. Security is a focused concern about protection. Software quality is the broader assessment of a product’s characteristics and how well it meets stated and implied needs in its intended context.
ISO/IEC 25010:2023 provides a current framework for discussing product quality. ISO describes it as a model applicable to ICT and software products, organized around nine characteristics. Security is one characteristic in that broader discussion; it does not represent the others. The [official ISO/IEC 25010:2023 page](https://www.iso.org/standard/78176.html) says the model can support requirements definition, design and testing objectives, quality-control and acceptance criteria, and measurement across the lifecycle.
| Aspect | Security | Software quality |
|---|---|---|
| Scope | Whether information and systems receive appropriate protection against relevant threats. | Whether the product meets a broader set of stakeholder needs in its intended conditions. |
| Evaluation | Protection goals, risks, the applicable threat model, and relevant controls. | Multiple product characteristics assessed against relevant requirements and context. |
| Evidence | Evidence that specified protections address the risks and context in question. | Criteria and measures tied to the quality requirements; ISO identifies testing, acceptance, and measurement as uses of its model. |
Is security part of software quality?
Yes, in the current ISO/IEC 25010:2023 product-quality framing, security is included as one of the model’s nine characteristics. That does not make security a substitute for evaluating the rest of the product. A team can meet a security target while missing usability, performance, reliability, or maintainability needs.
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Older material may refer to ISO/IEC 25010:2011, an earlier eight-characteristic product-quality model that included security. ISO marks that edition as replaced, so treat its detailed terminology as historical rather than as a description of the 2023 model. See the [official 2011 edition listing](https://www.iso.org/standard/35733.html) when interpreting legacy references.
Can software be secure but still be low quality?
Yes. A product may protect data and restrict access appropriately while still failing users in other ways—for example, by responding slowly, losing work, being confusing to operate, or being difficult to maintain. The reverse is also possible: an intuitive, fast product may have weaknesses that leave information or systems insufficiently protected.
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These are not contradictions. Quality is multidimensional, so success in one area is not proof of success in another. Controls can also affect other quality characteristics: for example, an added verification step may improve protection while adding friction. Whether that is an acceptable trade-off depends on the requirements and use context.
How should teams assess security and quality?
Define separate, testable criteria for protection and for the other quality needs that matter to the product. ISO says its product-quality model can help organize requirements, design objectives, test objectives, quality-control and acceptance criteria, and measures throughout the lifecycle.
Do these 3 things before closing this tab:
1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems- For security: state what must be protected, identify relevant risks and context, and evaluate whether the chosen controls provide the intended protection.
- For quality: identify the stakeholder needs that apply, select relevant product characteristics, and define criteria and measures for evaluating them.
- For acceptance: assess evidence against each criterion rather than treating a security result as an overall quality verdict.
Security terminology depends on its source and context. The [NIST CSRC Security glossary](https://csrc.nist.gov/glossary/term/security) includes definitions framed around protection from intentional subversion or forced failure, as well as definitions based on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. When precision matters, identify the underlying document for the definition you use rather than assuming every source uses the term identically.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Which version of ISO/IEC 25010 should you use?
For the current product-quality-model framing, use ISO/IEC 25010:2023. ISO identifies it as the published second edition, dated 2023-11, and says it applies to ICT and software products. The 2011 edition is useful for understanding older references, but its eight-characteristic model and detailed terminology belong to that historical edition. Do not transfer its subcharacteristic list to the 2023 model without checking the newer standard.
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For a broad overview of software quality’s scope, see IEEE Technology Navigator’s [“Software quality”](https://technav.ieee.org/topic/software-quality).
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