Continuous Authorization with DevSecOps

Continuous authorization enables rapid, secure software delivery by authorizing platforms, processes, and teams, shifting away from static security approvals.

Traditional ATO (Authorization to Operate) processes are too slow for modern development. Continuous ATO integrates security throughout the DevSecOps lifecycle, allowing frequent, automated software updates that meet compliance standards without delaying delivery.

Why the DoD Is Embracing Continuous ATO

The DoD aims to modernize software delivery by integrating security, automation, and compliance from the start.

Key motivations include:

  • Responding faster to emerging threats

  • Reducing long approval timelines

  • Increasing software reliability and resilience

The 2019 Defense Innovation Board emphasized software-defined capabilities and continuous delivery supported by secure digital infrastructure.

How DevSecOps Enables Continuous Authorization

DevSecOps combines development, security, and operations into one automated pipeline.

Core practices include:

  • Shift-left security: Integrating security into early development stages

  • Continuous monitoring and feedback loops

  • Automated testing at every lifecycle phase (unit, integration, security)

DevSecOps Lifecycle Stages and Security Integrations

Stage Security Focus
Plan Threat modeling, security requirements
Develop Secure coding, patch management
Build Static/Dynamic/Interactive testing, code signing
Test Automated functional and security tests
Release Digital signatures, policy enforcement
Deploy/Operate Continuous monitoring, logging, audit, IAC, compliance as code

Key Components of Continuous Authorization

Continuous ATO hinges on three pillars: platform, process, and team authorization.

1. Authorize the Platform

Platforms must be secure, hardened, and compliant by design.

  • Leverage hardened containers and environments (e.g., Iron Bank, Platform One)

  • Use infrastructure as code (IaC) for reproducibility and compliance

  • Ensure hosting environments have DoD Provisional ATO or FedRAMP approval

2. Authorize the Process

The CI/CD pipeline must enforce automated controls and generate audit artifacts.

  • Use control gates with configurable exit criteria

  • Enable dashboards for real-time risk monitoring

  • Validate compliance with STIGs via tools that implement compliance as code

3. Authorize the Teams

Teams must be trained, qualified, and aligned with a DevSecOps culture.

  • Follow the DoD Cyber Workforce Framework for role definitions

  • Track training plans and skill metrics

  • Ensure transparency and version-controlled changes across teams

Continuous Risk Determination vs. Point-in-Time ATO

Continuous authorization relies on near real-time monitoring, not static certifications.

Traditional ATOs take 30–180+ days; continuous ATO can push updates in under a day. Using automated tools and dashboards, security and operations teams can detect and respond to risks immediately, minimizing downtime and breach exposure.

Tools and Platforms to Accelerate Adoption

Platform One and Iron Bank offer ready-to-use solutions for secure pipeline setups.

Tool Purpose
Platform One Managed DevSecOps platform with CI/CD pipelines
Repo One Stores source, infra, and compliance code
Iron Bank Repository of hardened container images
Sidecar Security Stack Adds logging, proxy, and scanning to containers

Organizations can choose:

  • Party Bus: join the existing Platform One environment

  • Big Bang: deploy a dedicated instance for your org

Measuring DevSecOps Maturity

Use DORA metrics to track DevSecOps performance and reliability.

Metric Description
Deployment Frequency How often is code deployed to production
Lead Time for Changes Time from code commit to deployment
Change Failure Rate % of deployments causing issues
Time to Restore Service Time to recover from incidents

Recommendations for Getting Started

Start with a secure, ready-made platform and invest in team enablement.

  • Use managed services like Platform One to save time

  • Avoid building your own stack unless you have expert resources

  • Shift culture: embed security champions and conduct ongoing training

Final thoughts

Continuous ATO transforms the DoD’s software delivery by embedding security into the DevSecOps lifecycle, enabling speed, compliance, and resilience.

By authorizing platforms, automating risk assessments, and leveraging hardened containers, agencies can move faster without sacrificing security. Platforms like Platform One and practices like everything-as-code are central to this evolution.