Risk Management Framework (RMF)

The Risk Management Framework (RMF) is the structured process the federal government and DoD use to manage cybersecurity risk for information systems. It provides a disciplined, step-by-step approach: categorize your system, select security controls, implement them, assess their effectiveness, authorize the system to operate, and continuously monitor.

RMF replaced the older Certification and Accreditation (C&A) process and is defined in NIST SP 800-37. Every DoD and federal system must go through RMF before it can be used in production — it's the gateway to receiving an Authority to Operate (ATO).

For defense contractors, understanding RMF matters when your systems connect to DoD networks or when you're building systems that the government will operate. The RMF process determines what security controls apply and verifies they work.