A Single Vulnerability Can Derail Your Mission—and Your Funding
In the government space, cybersecurity isn’t just an IT issue; it’s a mission-critical business requirement. System vulnerabilities pose a direct threat to your Authority to Operate (ATO), leading to:
Costly Project Delays
Frozen contract funding and missed revenue opportunities
Reputational Damage
Lost credibility with agency partners and auditors
Financial Loss
Security incidents and failed audits drain resources
Operational Standstills
Mission-critical systems unable to operate
Proactive security starts with a clear, authoritative understanding of your vulnerabilities. Without it, you’re navigating the path to compliance blindfolded.
A Structured, Proven Framework for Compliance Success
We replace uncertainty with a definitive roadmap. Our Assessment & Authorization service is a disciplined, phased process coupled with the GRC Engineering to systematically secure your systems and satisfy auditor requirements.
Our 4-Step ATO Acceleration Process:
Scope & Strategize
We define the boundaries of your assessment, identify all in-scope systems, and align our plan with the specific compliance framework (NIST, FedRAMP, etc.) you need to meet.
Assess & Identify
Our certified experts conduct deep-dive vulnerability assessments and security control reviews to uncover critical weaknesses before an auditor does.
Authorize & Document
We develop the mandatory documentation—including your comprehensive System Security Plan (SSP), POA&M, and Contingency Plan—building the undeniable case for your ATO.
Monitor & Maintain
End-to-End Services for a Rock-Solid Security Posture
Beyond the core process, we provide all the specialized expertise you need under one roof.
Security Assessments
A holistic evaluation of your organization’s security posture against established frameworks like NIST SP 800-53, ensuring all security controls are properly designed and implemented.
Benefit: Gain a complete picture of your security strengths and gaps to build a targeted improvement plan.
Vulnerability Assessments
Systematic identification, classification, and prioritization of technical vulnerabilities within your network, systems, and applications using advanced scanning tools.
Benefit: Proactively discover and remediate weaknesses before they can be exploited by attackers.
Continuous Monitoring
Ongoing observation and analysis of your security controls and system configurations to ensure they remain effective against evolving threats.
Benefit: Maintain your ATO and demonstrate real-time compliance with FISMA and other mandates.
Penetration Testing
Controlled, ethical hacking simulations conducted by our experts to exploit vulnerabilities, demonstrating the real-world impact of a security breach.
Benefit: Understand your true risk level and validate the effectiveness of your security defenses.
Security Policies and Procedures
Development of clear, actionable, and compliant security policies that define roles, responsibilities, and processes for protecting information assets.
Benefit: Establish a strong security foundation and culture, satisfying core auditor requirements.
System Security Plans
Authoring comprehensive, compliant SSPs that describe your system boundaries, security controls, and implementation details, as required for ATO.
Benefit: Create the foundational document for your authorization package, accelerating the approval process.
Risk Assessments
Formal process to identify, analyze, and evaluate security risks to your operations, assets, and individuals, leading to informed decision-making.
Benefit: Prioritize security investments based on actual risk to your mission and organizational objectives.
FISMA Audits
Independent audits to verify and validate your compliance with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) requirements.
Benefit: Pass FISMA audits with confidence and provide assurance to stakeholders and oversight bodies.
Compliance Scanning
Automated scanning of your IT environment against specific compliance benchmarks (e.g., DISA STIGs, CIS Benchmarks) to identify configuration deviations.
Benefit: Ensure technical configurations meet stringent government standards and reduce your attack surface.
Web Application Testing
In-depth security testing of your web applications to uncover vulnerabilities like SQL injection, cross-site scripting (XSS), and logic flaws.
Benefit: Secure public-facing applications that are prime targets for cyber-attacks and data breaches.
Database Testing
Specialized assessment of database configurations, access controls, and stored data to prevent unauthorized access and data exfiltration.
Benefit: Protect your most sensitive and valuable asset—your data—from internal and external threats.
Contingency Planning
Development of robust plans for sustaining essential business functions during a disruption, including disaster recovery and business continuity strategies.
Benefit: Minimize downtime and data loss, ensuring your mission can continue under any circumstances.
Incident Response
Preparation, planning, and execution of a coordinated response to security incidents, including containment, eradication, and recovery.
Benefit: Respond swiftly and effectively to security breaches, limiting damage and restoring operations quickly.
Why Choose NIT for Your Assessment & Authorization?
With a 92% first-pass success rate and a portfolio of over 225 security assessments, our team of certified experts provides more than just a checklist. We deliver the proven processes and deep regulatory knowledge you need to navigate the RMF efficiently, secure your ATO with confidence.
Success Rate
92%
First-Pass Success Rate for clients undergoing formal security assessments.
Proven Government Expertise
Our team has decades of cumulative experience with the specific nuances of federal compliance.
Certified, Battle-Tested Experts
Your project is led by CISSPs, CISMs, and other credentialed professionals who have been in your shoes.
Speed to Compliance
Our efficient processes and deep experience help you achieve your ATO faster, driving timely system deployment and accelerating mission outcomes.
Proven Track Record in Government Compliance
225+ Security Assessments
92% First-Pass Success Rate
Ready to Secure Your ATO?
The path to compliance is complex, but starting the conversation is simple. Schedule your complimentary consultation today. In 30 minutes, we’ll review your specific challenges and outline a clear path to achieving and maintaining your Authority to Operate.