ATO on AWS Program Now Supporting Customers in Canada

By Gregory Hermann, Sr. Security Partner Strategist – AWS

Customers that operate in, or are looking to operate in, regulated markets such as public sector, healthcare, and financial services are required to meet stringent security and compliance requirements and undergo intensive assessments of both their security posture and security-related processes.

Even the most technically astute organizations can find it challenging to conform to such requirements and do so efficiently. The Authority to Operate (ATO) on AWS partner program supports Amazon Web Services (AWS) customers overcome these hurdles by building a community of vetted, expert partners.

While the ATO on AWS program was originally launched in the United States, it has begun supporting customers globally and we are excited to formally launch the program in Canada.

How Does ATO on AWS Support Customers?

The primary offering the ATO on AWS program affords customers is access to a community of vetted, expert partners that specialize in supporting and accelerating customers’ abilities to meet their regulatory, security, and compliance requirements on AWS.

These partners offer automated mechanisms to facilitate the implementation of security best practices, provide consulting services on how to navigate the differing processes and generate the requisite documentation, and help to develop unique security capabilities on AWS.

Additionally, the AWS program team of security strategists provides limited direct engagement activities to guide customers to freely available resources, tools, and offerings related to meeting security obligations on AWS. Some of these activities include one-on-one meetings, routinely answering questions, and in specific cases, technical workshops.

Who Are the ATO on AWS Partners?

Partners that are approved to join the ATO on AWS program go through a rigorous evaluation process by a team of AWS security and compliance subject matter experts. Before being accepted, these partners must complete a detailed checklist of criteria and provide evidence of meeting those requirements to ensure they are capable of providing expert support to AWS customers. The program currently maintains over 40 partners.

We are proud to announce our first Canada-focused launch partner, Kainos, to the ATO on AWS program. Prior to being accepted into the program, Kainos underwent an AWS-led evaluation of its suitability to support Canadian customers in meeting regulatory, security, and compliance requirements on AWS.

“We are pleased to be the first ATO on AWS program partner in Canada, and proud of the work our people were able to accomplish alongside AWS to accelerate the ATO package submission time from 18 months to just 60 days,” says Neil Gabriel, Regional Lead, Digital Services at Kainos Canada. “We are excited about the future of the program and the opportunity to share this experience with other Canadian regulated organizations so they, too, can rapidly deliver and exploit the benefits of cloud.”

You can read about how Kainos supported a Canadian government organization in submitting their Protected B, Medium Integrity, Medium Availability (aka Medium Cloud Security Profile) in under 60 days.

A complete list of ATO on AWS partners may be found on our ATO on AWS partner page.

How Do We Engage the ATO on AWS Program?

If you’re an AWS customer seeking support, you can engage the ATO on AWS program and our validated partners in multiple ways.

The preferred method is to complete and submit a short online questionnaire which will allow us to review specific information related to your timelines and goals. Alternatively, customers interested in engaging AWS Partners directly may find our complete list, and contact information for, our partners through our ATO on AWS partner page.

If you’re an AWS Partner interested in joining the program or learning more, please review the requirements listed on the ATO on AWS program page.