IBM’s cloud gets full authority to host DOD’s most sensitive unclassified data

IBM has received full authorization to provide cloud services to all Defense Department agencies at the highest unclassified security levels, the company announced Monday.

The Defense Information Systems Agency awarded IBM a full provisional authority to operate its Cloud Managed Services for Government product up to Impact Level 5, the highest unclassified security level for controlled unclassified information in DOD’s cloud.

This extends IBM’s authority to operate, which it received conditionally in February, through August 2019.

[Read more: IBM’s cloud cleared to hold DOD data at level 5]

“This releases the full power of IBM Cloud technology to benefit all Department of Defense agencies, which must operate in a secure environment while handling unclassified but nonetheless mission critical information, all within the secure confines of a government-owned facility,” Sam Gordy, general manager for IBM Federal, said in a statement.

Prior to IBM’s conditional ATO in February, Amazon Web Services was the only cloud service provider allowed to handle all levels of unclassified data. IBM said then it was the only cloud provider with a “direct connection” to DOD’s internal network NIPRNet, short for Nonsecure Internet Protocol Router Network.

IBM hosts its services under the ATO at the Allegany Ballistics Laboratory data center in West Virginia, a Navy-owned facility.