What is the Security Control Assessment and Authorization (A&A) process?

• A. An informal checklist
• B. A formal evaluation of implemented controls against standards, culminating in an authorization to operate.
• C. A maintenance ticket
• D. A training session

Answer: (B)

The Security Control Assessment and Authorization process is a formal, evidence-based review of the security controls that have been put in place for a system, checked against defined standards and requirements. Its goal is to determine whether those controls adequately manage risk and to document a formal decision to allow the system to operate in a live environment. This culminates in an Authorization to Operate, meaning an official who accepts the residual risk approves the system for operation.

Key elements include collecting and evaluating evidence about how controls are implemented and functioning, producing a Security Assessment Report, and mapping any gaps in a Plan of Actions and Milestones. The process is structured, documented, and risk-driven, rather than informal. It isn’t just an informal checklist, a maintenance ticket, or a training session.