Definition
An Authority to Operate (ATO) is a formal declaration by an Authorizing Official (AO) that authorizes an information system to operate and explicitly accepts the risk to agency operations based on the implementation of agreed-upon security controls. The ATO process involves comprehensive security assessment following the Risk Management Framework (RMF), documentation of system security in a System Security Plan, independent assessment by a Security Control Assessor, and risk acceptance decision by the AO. ATOs are typically granted for three years with continuous monitoring requirements. Systems cannot process government data without an ATO. FedRAMP provides a standardized ATO process for cloud services. Contractor systems connecting to government networks or processing government data may require agency ATOs.
Also Known As
- Authorization to Operate
- System Authorization
- Security Authorization
Examples
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ✕Operating systems without proper authorization (violation of FISMA)
- ✕Assuming commercial security certifications substitute for ATO
- ✕Not maintaining continuous monitoring after ATO is granted
Who Should Know This Term
System owners, IT security officers, authorizing officials, contractors operating government systems
Official Source
NIST RMF