What additional approval is required according to OMB Memorandum M-14-04 before issuing an authorization to operate?

What additional approval is required according to OMB Memorandum M-14-04 before issuing an authorization to operate?

• A. CIO
• B. CISO
• C. SAOP
• D. System Owner

Answer: (C)

According to OMB Memorandum M-14-04, before an agency can issue an authorization to operate (ATO) for an information system, approval from the Senior Agency Official for Privacy (SAOP) is required. This requirement emphasizes the importance of privacy considerations in the risk assessment and management process for federal information systems. The SAOP is responsible for overseeing the implementation of privacy policy and ensuring that privacy risks are adequately addressed in the system's security and privacy assessments. The authorization to operate signifies that the information system has met all necessary security and privacy standards, and requires consensus from senior officials responsible for these domains. This inclusion of the SAOP in the approval process highlights the need for a holistic approach to risk management that encompasses both security and privacy, aligning with the federal focus on protecting personal data and complying with legal regulations. Other roles, such as the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), and system owners, also play significant parts in the approval and oversight process, but the specific additional approval mandated by OMB Memorandum M-14-04 is that from the SAOP. This ensures privacy is prioritized at the federal level when authorizing systems that process personal data.

According to OMB Memorandum M-14-04, before an agency can issue an authorization to operate (ATO) for an information system, approval from the Senior Agency Official for Privacy (SAOP) is required. This requirement emphasizes the importance of privacy considerations in the risk assessment and management process for federal information systems. The SAOP is responsible for overseeing the implementation of privacy policy and ensuring that privacy risks are adequately addressed in the system's security and privacy assessments.

The authorization to operate signifies that the information system has met all necessary security and privacy standards, and requires consensus from senior officials responsible for these domains. This inclusion of the SAOP in the approval process highlights the need for a holistic approach to risk management that encompasses both security and privacy, aligning with the federal focus on protecting personal data and complying with legal regulations.

Other roles, such as the Chief Information Officer (CIO), Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), and system owners, also play significant parts in the approval and oversight process, but the specific additional approval mandated by OMB Memorandum M-14-04 is that from the SAOP. This ensures privacy is prioritized at the federal level when authorizing systems that process personal data.