Case Study
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Achieving SSA Authorization to
Operate (ATO) in 72 Days
Azure Migration, NIST 800-53 Compliance & Full RMF Execution
Prepared by Enet Business LLC
Executive Overview
In 2023, Enet Business LLC was engaged by a federal government contractor to migrate a mission-critical case management system from an on-premises server environment to Microsoft Azure and secure Authorization to Operate (ATO) from the Social Security Administration (SSA).
The system processed sensitive Personally Identifiable Information (PII). It was required to meet FISMA Moderate-Moderate-Moderate impact levels in accordance with the NIST Risk Management Framework (RMF) and NIST 800-53 security controls.
The engagement was completed in 72 days, resulting in a successful SSA ATO.
The Challenge
The client faced significant operational and regulatory pressures:
A legacy on-premises hosting environment
SSA requirement for a direct ATO approval
Strict compliance with FISMA and NIST 800-53 Moderate baseline controls
Full RMF documentation package required (BPD, SSP, SAR, POA&M)
Tight delivery window of under 90 days
Ongoing operational workloads that could not be interrupted
Failure to obtain the ATO would have jeopardized the client’s ability to continue performing federal work.
Project Scope
Enet Business LLC executed a two-phase initiative:
Phase 1
Azure Migration & Infrastructure Hardening
- Designed and deployed a dedicated Azure environment
- Migrated application and database workloads from on-prem servers
- Architected secure segmentation of application, data, and administrative tiers
- Implemented multi-factor authentication (MFA) and role-based access controls
- Applied FIPS-compliant AES-256 encryption standards
- Configured firewall protections, endpoint protection, and centralized logging
- Planned and executed a coordinated cutover with minimal operational disruption
Evening and weekend migration windows were utilized to ensure continuity of service.
Phase 2
NIST 800-53 Moderate Implementation & RMF Documentation
- Conducted FIPS 199 system categorization
- Mapped applicable controls to the NIST 800-53 Moderate baseline
- Implemented administrative, technical, and operational safeguards including:
- Access Control (AC)
- Audit & Accountability (AU)
- Configuration Management (CM)
- Incident Response (IR)
- Contingency Planning (CP)
- System & Communications Protection (SC)
- Established continuous monitoring procedures
- Developed configuration management and change control processes
Security implementation and documentation development were performed in parallel to accelerate the timeline delivery.
ATO Documentation Package
Enet Business LLC prepared and delivered the complete SSA-required authorization package:
Business Process Description (BPD)
Defined system boundaries, actors, workflows, and data exchange paths.
System Security Plan (SSP)
Documented control implementation, inheritance, system architecture, and risk posture.
Security Assessment Report (SAR)
Documented validation of implemented controls.
Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M)
Identified findings and structured remediation tracking.
All documentation was refined through iterative review cycles to align with SSA expectations.
Execution Timeline
Total Duration:
| Phase | Duration |
|---|---|
| Azure Infrastructure Deployment | ~3–4 Weeks |
| Security Control Implementation | ~3–4 Weeks |
| Internal Assessment & Final Remediation | ~2 Weeks |
Results
- Successful migration from on-premises infrastructure to Microsoft Azure
- Full implementation of NIST 800-53 Moderate Moderate Moderate controls
- Complete RMF documentation package delivered
- SSA Authorization to Operate (ATO) granted
- Project completed in 72 days
The client transitioned from a legacy infrastructure model to a secure, federally compliant cloud architecture capable of supporting continued SSA operations.
Business Impact
- Eliminated physical server infrastructure risk
- Improved system scalability and resilience
- Achieved mandatory federal compliance
- Preserved the client’s SSA contract eligibility
- Established repeatable RMF processes for ongoing annual assessments and future renewals
About Enet Business LLC
Enet Business LLC specializes in:
Azure cloud architecture and secure migrations
ATO preparation and federal authorization support
Continuous monitoring strategy development
72 Days to SSA ATO – Azure Migration & NIST 800-53 Compliance
In 2023, Enet Business LLC was engaged by a federal contractor to complete a high-stakes project:
- Migrate a mission-critical case management system from on-premises infrastructure to Microsoft Azure
- Achieve an Authorization to Operate (ATO) from the Social Security Administration
- Meet FISMA Moderate-Moderate-Moderate impact levels
- Implement and document NIST 800-53 Moderate baseline controls
- Deliver the full RMF package (BPD, SSP, SAR, POA&M)
All within a 90-day window.
We completed the engagement in 72 days.
The Challenge
The system processed sensitive PII and could not afford downtime.
SSA required a direct ATO approval, supported by full Risk Management Framework (RMF) documentation and properly implemented security controls.
The clock was ticking.
What We
Delivered
Infrastructure build and documentation were executed in parallel to compress timeline and reduce review cycles.
Azure Secure Architecture
- Dedicated Azure environment
- Segmented application and data tiers
- MFA & RBAC enforcement
- AES-256 encryption (FIPS-compliant)
- Firewall, endpoint protection, centralized logging
NIST 800-53 Moderate Implementation
- FIPS 199 system categorization
- Access Control, Audit, IR, CM, CP, SC control families implemented
- Continuous monitoring strategy established
Full ATO Documentation Package
- Business Process Description (BPD)
- System Security Plan (SSP)
- Security Assessment Report (SAR)
- Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M)
The Result
- Successful migration to Azure
- Full Moderate baseline implementation
- SSA Authorization to Operate granted
- Delivered in 72 days
This engagement reinforced what we do best:
Helping federal contractors move from legacy infrastructure to secure, compliant cloud environments — fast.
If you’re preparing for:
- A federal ATO
- A NIST 800-53 implementation
- An Azure migration under compliance pressure
- Or tightening your Moderate baseline posture