Overview
The cybersecurity Authorization to Operate (ATO) process is often opaque, compliance-focused, resource-intensive, and time-consuming.
While ATO approval is a critical component of cyber risk management, delays in fielding new systems introduce their own risks by extending reliance on legacy systems, which are often less secure and more vulnerable to emerging threats. The DoD’s Risk Management Framework (RMF) is designed to ensure secure, resilient, and survivable mission functionality. Its goal is to strike the right balance between mission effectiveness and cybersecurity, enabling systems to operate in contested cyber environments with an acceptable level of risk.
Operation Vulcan Logic (OVL) is the CDAO’s risk-centric, agile authorization ecosystem. Within OVL, the Authorizing Official (AO), programs, and systems seeking authorization follow clearly defined Criteria, Observables, and Behavior (COB) expectations and templates, leveraging insights from over 2,000 successful implementations. This structured yet adaptive framework streamlines authorization while ensuring security remains mission-aligned.