Getting to Continuous Authorization to Operate
One of the most beneficial practices any agency can implement is achieving and maintaining Continuous Authorization to Operate (cATO). It allows an organization to maintain ongoing authorization for their systems and software, rather than having to obtain a one-time ATO for each deployment.
Gaining a cATO requires agencies to implement continuous monitoring of the security of their systems and practicing active cyber defense measures that proactively identify and mitigate threats. By using automation, cATO streamlines compliance checks and workflows, reducing the time and effort to achieve and maintain the ATO, lowering costs and increasing the value of updates. By automating compliance, government agencies can free up resources and accelerate their digital transformation journey.
Learning Objectives:
- Examine the ways using automation and continuous monitoring of security controls fits within the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s Risk Management Framework
- Outline metrics that can be used to measure time and labor savings by implementing a cATO, including lowered costs and faster delivery cycles
- Delineate cATO’s contributions to modernization and transformation objectives
Speaker Details

Faniko Brown
CISO,
TRANSCOM

Aaron Hagland
Deputy CISO-
Cyber Governance,
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory

Paul Gass
Senior Director, Federal & Defense,
Diligent

Michael Kennedy
Contributing Editor,
FedInsider
Event Topic
Risk Management/Regulatory, Security, TechnologyRelevant Audiences
All State and Local Government, All Federal Government, National Guard, Air Force, Coast Guard, Navy, City Government, County Government, Municipalities, State Government, Central Intelligence Agency, Department of Agriculture, Department of Commerce, Department of Defense, Department of Energy, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Homeland Security, Department of Housing and Urban Development, Department of Interior, Department of Justice, Department of Labor, Department of State, Department of Transportation, Department of the Treasury, Environmental Protection Agency, Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Federal Aviation Administration, Federal Communications Commission, Food and Drug Administration, Federal Emergency Management Agency, General Services Administration, Government Accountability Office, National Aeronautics and Space Administration, National Institute of Health, National Security Agency, U.S. Agency of International Development, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Office of Personnel Management, U.S. Postal Service, Veterans AffairsOther Agency
Office of the President (includes OMB), Other Federal Agencies, Judicial Branch Agencies, Foreign Governments/Agencies