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Authority to Operate (ATO)

What is Authority to Operate (ATO)?

A formal authorisation granted by a senior official to operate a federal information system at an acceptable level of risk. ATO is required under FISMA and FedRAMP and is based on the assessment of security controls.

Compliance

Frameworks that govern authority to operate (ato)

NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5View framework →

What the standards actually require on authority to operate (ato)

Requirements naming authority to operate (ato) across 2 standards, quoted from the control text.

FedRAMP Rev 51 control

FedRAMP was established in 2011 by OMB Memorandum M-11-30 + implementing FISMA for cloud services used by US federal agencies. The FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO) is housed within the General Services Administration (GSA).

FedRAMP-Program · FedRAMP Program establishment, PMO and authorization paths →
New Zealand Information Security Manual (NZISM)1 control

Conduct Certification and Accreditation (C&A) per NZISM Chapter 4 covering: system categorisation per classification level + security control selection + security control implementation + Security Risk Management Plan + Certification by independent IRAP-equiva...

NZISM-2 · Certification and Accreditation (C&A) for Government Systems →

Questions people ask about authority to operate (ato)

What is Authority to Operate (ATO)?
A formal authorisation granted by a senior official to operate a federal information system at an acceptable level of risk. ATO is required under FISMA and FedRAMP and is based on the assessment of security controls.
Why is Authority to Operate (ATO) important for compliance?
Authority to Operate (ATO) is a key concept in Compliance. Understanding authority to operate (ato) helps organizations meet regulatory requirements, reduce risk, and demonstrate due diligence during audits. Our compliance platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings.
Which compliance frameworks address Authority to Operate (ATO)?
Authority to Operate (ATO) appears in the requirement text of FedRAMP Rev 5, New Zealand Information Security Manual (NZISM). Across these standards we have identified 2 controls that name it directly, each linked to the control text on the compliance platform.
Where can I learn more about Authority to Operate (ATO)?
Explore our compliance framework pages to see how authority to operate (ato) applies across different standards and regulations. Our implementation guides provide step-by-step guidance, and the compliance platform offers AI-powered analysis of how this concept maps across 686 frameworks.

See how Authority to Operate (ATO) applies across compliance frameworks

Our platform maps 686 frameworks with 311K cross-framework control mappings. Explore how this concept is addressed across standards.

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Written and maintained by Gerard Blokdyk, The Art of Service.