Glossary · Glossary
ATO
An official management decision authorizing an information system to operate and accepting its residual risk to operations and assets. An ATO is granted after a security assessment, commonly under the Risk Management Framework.
An official management decision authorizing an information system to operate and accepting its residual risk to operations and assets. An ATO is granted after a security assessment, commonly under the Risk Management Framework.
Why it matters
An ATO is the gate that lets a system be used on a government network at all; without it a capability cannot legally operate, so operators and program teams treat it as a hard prerequisite, not paperwork.
Standards & authorities
- NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2 (Risk Management Framework)
- FISMA (44 U.S.C. Ch. 35)
Related in glossary
Frequently asked
What is ATO?
An official management decision authorizing an information system to operate and accepting its residual risk to operations and assets. An ATO is granted after a security assessment, commonly under the Risk Management Framework.
Why does ATO matter for defense and counter-UAS operators?
An ATO is the gate that lets a system be used on a government network at all; without it a capability cannot legally operate, so operators and program teams treat it as a hard prerequisite, not paperwork.
What standard or authority governs ATO?
ATO is defined or governed by NIST SP 800-37 Rev. 2 (Risk Management Framework), FISMA (44 U.S.C. Ch. 35).