When an ATO is issued, which of the following roles authoritatively accepts residual risk on behalf of the organization? Response:

An Information Owner is responsible for the data within a system but does not have the authority to formally accept residual organizational risk.

While an AO can designate a representative, the fundamental role of accepting authoritative risk ultimately resides with the Authorizing Official themselves.

The Authorizing Official (AO) is the senior management official within an organization who formally accepts the residual risk associated with operating an information system. Their decision to grant an ATO signifies that the system's security posture is acceptable given the mission or business needs.

The CISO (Chief Information Security Officer) is typically responsible for an organization's overall information security program, but the specific authority for accepting residual risk for a system's operation under an ATO belongs to the AO.