Anchore: US Navy achieves ATO in days with continuous compliance and OSS risk management

Source URL: https://anchore.com/blog/us-navy-black-pearl-dod-software-factory-with-anchore/
Source: Anchore
Title: US Navy achieves ATO in days with continuous compliance and OSS risk management

Feedly Summary: Implementing secure and compliant software solutions within the Department of Defense’s (DoD) software factory framework is no small feat.  For Black Pearl, the premier DevSecOps platform for the U.S. Navy, and Sigma Defense, a leading DoD technology contractor, the challenge was not just about meeting stringent security requirements but to empower the warfighter.  We’ll cover […]
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AI Summary and Description: Yes

Summary: The text discusses the successful collaboration between Black Pearl, Sigma Defense, and Anchore to streamline security and compliance processes within the Department of Defense’s (DoD) software factory framework. The case centers on automating the Authority to Operate (ATO) process, implementing security measures, and managing open-source software risks to enhance overall efficiency and support military objectives.

Detailed Description:

The text highlights a real-world example of how the Department of Defense (DoD) is addressing complex security and compliance challenges in its software development environment, specifically through the use of the Black Pearl DevSecOps platform and Anchore for automation. Here are the major points detailed in the document:

– **Challenge Overview**:
– **Navigating Security and Compliance**: Black Pearl and Sigma Defense worked to meet stringent DoD security requirements while providing value to military personnel.
– **Risk Management Framework (RMF)**: Essential for securing platforms and applications, they needed to implement specific security controls such as:
– RA-5 (Vulnerability Management)
– SI-3 (Malware Protection)
– IA-5 (Credential Management)
– **Continuous Compliance**: Traditional manual processes fell short, necessitating automation to maintain an Authority to Operate (ATO) status efficiently.
– **Open Source Software (OSS) Risks**: Managing vulnerabilities associated with OSS components was crucial to ensuring security.
– **Vulnerability Overload**: Developers often face an overwhelming number of vulnerabilities, which can detract from focusing on critical tasks.

– **Solutions Implemented**:
– **Anchore Integration**:
– Provided Policy Packs for RMF compliance, streamlining the process of identifying and reporting security controls.
– Automated ATO compliance management, significantly reducing manual intervention and resource drain.
– Continuous monitoring for OSS risks through integrated tools, enhancing proactive vulnerability management.
– Automated prioritization of vulnerabilities allowed developers to focus on critical issues, reducing noise from less significant vulnerabilities.

– **Results Achieved**:
– **Accelerated ATO Process**: Achieving ATO in just 3-5 days compared to an earlier timeframe of up to six months.
– **Reduced Compliance Reporting Time**: Automation led to significant decreases in manual review hours and increased consistency in reporting required for obtaining ATO.
– **Improved OSS Risk Management**: Early identification and remediation of vulnerabilities integrated into the development lifecycle.
– **Prioritized Vulnerability Reporting**: This prevented developer overwhelm and enhanced development speed without sacrificing security.

– **Conclusion**:
– The collaboration illustrates how leveraging automation in security and compliance can lead to operational efficiencies, greatly benefiting military software development efforts. This case sets a precedent for enhancing security practices by integrating advanced tools like Anchore within DevSecOps frameworks.

The insights from this case study can guide security and compliance professionals in other organizations facing similar challenges, emphasizing the importance of automation for compliance and security management and effective OSS risk remediation.