Within an organization's Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), an Information Security Policy is a vital component. It outlines the rules and procedures for ensuring that the organization's IT assets and data are protected throughout the development process. Ensuring secure coding practices, access controls, and regular security testing is fundamental in preventing vulnerabilities in applications.
Other options like service-level agreements and branch protection requirements are less likely to be integral to SDLC processes. Penetration testing methodology, while useful, is generally considered outside the scope of the SDLC.