Which action is part of the configuration control process?

The configuration control process is fundamentally concerned with managing changes to hardware and software components within an IT environment to maintain system integrity, reliability, and security. Controlling modifications to hardware and software ensures that any changes are documented, assessed, and approved, which helps prevent unauthorized alterations that could introduce vulnerabilities or disrupt operations.

By having a formal configuration control process, organizations can track all changes made to the system, evaluate their impact, and ensure that configurations are consistent with policy and compliance requirements. This is crucial within software development security, as it helps maintain the security posture of applications throughout their lifecycle.

The other options relate to design and performance improvements or the development of new applications, which are not directly involved in the systematic and controlled management of existing system configurations. These activities can indeed contribute to the overall software development process but do not specifically pertain to configuration control.