Master the RMF Challenge 2026 – Ace Your Steps, Tasks, and Outcomes!

When a required RMF control cannot be implemented, the system must still manage risk by finding alternatives rather than ignoring the deficiency. The appropriate path is to propose compensating controls that provide an equivalent or greater level of protection, obtain approval from the Authorizing Official, and document these controls and their effectiveness in the System Security Plan and in the Plan of Actions and Milestones. This keeps the authorization to operate legitimate and transparent while remediation is planned, and it ensures the risk posture is reviewed and accepted at the proper governance level. Ignoring the deficiency, replacing controls without approval, or waiting for a future upgrade all fail to address the risk in a formal, auditable way and do not align with RMF risk management and authorization processes.