Ace the 2025 Certified Governance Risk & Compliance (CGRC) Challenge – Navigate the Governance Maze with Confidence!

In the context of the security certification and accreditation process, the phases typically include initiation, security certification, and maintenance. The process is designed to ensure that systems meet security requirements and are authorized to operate within an organization.

The initiation phase involves the decision-making that begins the process, where stakeholders agree on the need for a certification effort. The security certification phase involves evaluating the security controls of the system to ensure they are implemented correctly and are effective in mitigating risks. Maintenance involves ongoing activities to keep the security posture of the system effective over time, including continuous monitoring and periodic reassessments.

The operation phase, while it is crucial in the context of any security program, is not traditionally classified as part of the formal certification and accreditation phases. Instead, it refers more broadly to the day-to-day functioning and management of a system once it has been certified and accredited. Therefore, this phase is not part of the structured certification and accreditation process, making it the correct answer to the question.