Page 327 - Cyber Defense eMagazine September 2025

tools are deployed “in-boundary,” they reduce external system dependencies and shrink the security
footprint.

Even more importantly, this setup enables automated generation of ATO documentation based on real-
time system state. That means no more outdated or speculative System Security Plans (SSPs), and no
more trying to document security postures that don’t reflect reality.

The Benefits: Faster, Smarter, and More Scalable

The shift to automated compliance unlocks real value for federal teams. Speed to compliance is a
massive benefit – the ability to automate the ATO process slashes timelines, cutting months off traditional
workflows and getting mission-critical systems into production faster.

While being developed, having auto-generated artifacts for essential systems is important too. This will
ensure documentation and evidence are always current and complete. The “audit-ready” approach will
also eliminate scrambling before an audit or chasing outdated spreadsheets.

Automation also provides real-time risk awareness, delivering current insight into the effectiveness of
security controls. This allows agencies to make faster, better-informed decisions and reduces exposure
and improves response.

An automated approach expands past security – it provides enterprise scalability as the same automated
approach can be deployed across cloud providers, mission areas, and agency boundaries to maintain
consistency. The benefits don’t stop at the cloud either. Automation and DevSecOps practices can extend
to on-premise environments, ensuring full-spectrum compliance coverage.

One federal contractor recently automated its FedRAMP Moderate ATO process for a cloud-hosted
mission application. By leveraging infrastructure-as-code, policy-as-code, and automated validation, the
team reduced its ATO timeline by 50%, improved audit response times, and delivered real-time visibility
into control status.

Utilizing an automated-based strategy, the team delivered faster deployments, lower costs, and
continuous risk awareness all without compromising on security standards.

RMF Must Evolve with the Mission

NIST’s security controls are not the problem as they have proven their worth over time in safeguarding
federal systems. The challenge lies in how those controls are operationalized. By embracing automation,
shifting compliance into code, and enabling real-time validation, federal agencies can transform risk
management from a burden into a strategic advantage.

To meet the demands of today’s cybersecurity and operational environment, federal agencies must
reimagine how RMF is implemented:

Cyber Defense eMagazine – September 2025 Edition 327
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