RoutineMetric

CISA Secure Software Development Attestation (SSDF) Screener

NIST SP 800-218 Alignment, Federal Procurement Applicability & POA&M Gap Assessment

Under OMB mandates M-22-18 and M-23-16, vendors providing software to federal agencies must attest that their development processes align with the NIST Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF). Use this interactive diagnostic screener to evaluate your compliance, identify gaps requiring POA&Ms, and generate an audit-ready internal compliance memorandum.

1. Software & Scoping Profile

2. NIST SP 800-218 (SSDF) Alignment Checklist

Pillar 1

Secure Development Environments

Q1.1 Environment Access Controls (PO.1, PO.2)

Are build and dev environments logically separated, requiring developer MFA, Least Privilege access, and endpoint posture checks?

Q1.2 Secrets & Pipeline Audits (PO.3)

Are secrets (API keys, keys) scanned/blocked from repositories, and is every change/execution in the dev pipeline fully logged and immutable?

Pillar 2

Software Supply Chain Security

Q2.1 Open-Source & Dependency Vetting (PS.1)

Do you systematically catalog and continuously scan third-party/open-source libraries for active vulnerabilities or malicious packages?

Q2.2 SBOM Generation & Maintenance (PS.2)

Do you systematically generate and archive standard-format Software Bills of Materials (SBOM: SPDX, CycloneDX) for each release?

Pillar 3

Produce Well-Secured Software

Q3.1 Automated Testing Integration (PW.1)

Are automated SAST, DAST, and software composition analysis (SCA) scanners integrated directly within the CI/CD pipeline triggers?

Q3.2 Code Signing & Integrity Controls (PW.2)

Are all software build binaries cryptographically signed, and are release artifact hashes validated to prevent supply chain tampering?

Pillar 4

Respond to Vulnerabilities

Q4.1 Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (RV.1)

Is there an active, published Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP) enabling security researchers to report vulnerabilities safely?

Q4.2 Patching SLAs & Continuous Monitoring (RV.2)

Are there contractually defined vulnerability patching SLAs (e.g., 15 days for critical CVEs), backed by automated scanning?

3. SDLC Supporting Evidence Artifacts

Check all compiled artifacts and active controls currently available to support your self-attestation.

Applicability Scoping
Mandatory - Standard Track

This software is fully subject to standard CISA self-attestation mandates for US federal procurement.

Overall SSDF Alignment
75%compliance index
P1. Secure Dev Env100%
P2. Supply Chain75%
P3. Secure Software75%
P4. Threat Response50%

Moderate Risk / POA&M Required

You have implemented core secure practices, but major gaps remain. You may request a federal agency extension or file a formal POA&M explaining how and when these controls will be implemented.

Required POA&M Remediation (3)

Pillar 2 - SBOM Generation & Maintenance (PS.2)Partially Met

Integrate automated SBOM generation (in SPDX or CycloneDX JSON format) into the release-build phase, and establish a secure, centralized SBOM repository.

Pillar 3 - Automated Vulnerability Testing (PW.1)Partially Met

Integrate automated SAST (Static Application Security Testing) and dynamic testing triggers directly within your CI/CD pipelines to block releases containing high-severity vulnerabilities.

Pillar 4 - Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (RV.1)Missing

Publish an external-facing Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP) or launch a bug bounty program with designated intake channels and transparent secure coordination workflows.

Internal Compliance Memorandum

Confidential - Cybersecurity Procurement & Attestation Records

GENERATED: September 23, 2026
To:Procurement Records
From:Compliance Officer
Company:Acme Corporation
Product:SecureApp Enterprise

SUBJECT: SECURE SOFTWARE SELF-ATTESTATION STATUS UNDER OMB M-22-18 / M-23-16 AND CISA COMMON ATTESTATION GUIDELINES

1. Executive Scoping Summary

This memorandum documents the formal compliance posture of the software product SecureApp Enterprise, developed and distributed by Acme Corporation, with respect to the Federal Secure Software Development attestation mandate.

Based on administrative analysis of the product portfolio and distribution triggers, the product's applicability profile has been classified under the following track:

Track Status: Mandatory - Standard Track
Product is fully subject to CISA Self-Attestation requirements because it was modified/released after Sept 14, 2022, and is utilized within United States Federal Executive Branch departments.

2. NIST SP 800-218 (SSDF) Compliance Benchmark Summary

An assessment of secure software lifecycle practices was conducted against the core parameters of CISA's Common Self-Attestation Form. The product achieved an overall SSDF alignment score of 75%, placing its compliance status in the Moderate Risk / POA&M Required tier.

SSDF Pillar DomainBenchmark ScoreAttestation Attainment
Pillar 1: Secure Development Environment100%Fully Met
Pillar 2: Trusted Supply Chain75%POA&M Active
Pillar 3: Produce Well-Secured Software75%POA&M Active
Pillar 4: Respond to Vulnerabilities50%POA&M Active

3. Verification Artifact Inventory

To defend and evidence compliance assertions, the following supporting SDLC artifacts have been logged as active in our posture database:

  • Software Bill of Materials (SBOM): ❌ Not Compiled (Deficient for standard supply-chain attestations)
  • Third-Party Penetration Audits: ❌ Not Conducted
  • Security Certifications: ❌ Not Active
  • Vulnerability Disclosure Channel: ❌ Deficient
  • Developer Authentication Policy: ✅ Enforced (MFA mandatory for source repositories and build pipeline execution)

4. Required Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) Actions

Before signing the official CISA Self-Attestation Form, the company must execute, resolve, or formally document the following open POA&M control gaps in agreements with buying federal agencies:

1Pillar 2 - SBOM Generation & Maintenance (PS.2)

Remediation Strategy: Integrate automated SBOM generation (in SPDX or CycloneDX JSON format) into the release-build phase, and establish a secure, centralized SBOM repository.

2Pillar 3 - Automated Vulnerability Testing (PW.1)

Remediation Strategy: Integrate automated SAST (Static Application Security Testing) and dynamic testing triggers directly within your CI/CD pipelines to block releases containing high-severity vulnerabilities.

3Pillar 4 - Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (RV.1)

Remediation Strategy: Publish an external-facing Vulnerability Disclosure Policy (VDP) or launch a bug bounty program with designated intake channels and transparent secure coordination workflows.

5. Legal and Regulatory Affirmation

Disclaimer: This diagnostic screener provides a baseline mapping against NIST SP 800-218 and does not constitute formal legal counsel. Knowingly submitting a fraudulent CISA Secure Software Attestation Form to the federal government may result in severe civil penalties and liability under the False Claims Act (31 U.S.C. § 3729 et seq.).

Attested By:
Compliance Officer Signature
Approval Date:
Date of Executive Approval
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Understanding the CISA Secure Software Self-Attestation (NIST SP 800-218) Mandate

In response to a series of high-profile supply-chain cyber attacks targeting software platforms, the United States federal government issued Executive Order 14028, "Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity." Under OMB Memoranda M-22-18 and M-23-16, federal departments are prohibited from purchasing or deploying software that cannot verify compliance with secure coding standards. CISA’s Common Self-Attestation Form was developed as the primary instrument for vendors to formally declare this posture.

Which Software Products Fall Under CISA Attestation Rules?

The federal self-attestation directive is exceptionally broad. It applies directly to:

  • All Software Types: Including proprietary containerized microservices, SaaS, desktop clients, command-line tools, firmware, and custom library SDKs.
  • Temporal Scope: Any product that was built, packaged, modified, or updated after September 14, 2022.
  • Procurement Path: Any software acquired by federal agencies or operated by a contractor on behalf of a federal agency.

The Four Key Pillars of NIST SP 800-218 (SSDF)

The NIST Secure Software Development Framework (SSDF) is a set of fundamental software development practices divided into four core areas:

1. Prepare the Organization (PO)

Define roles, train engineers, configure secure repositories, and audit security compliance throughout the build lifecycle.

2. Protect the Software (PS)

Protect all code from tampering, generate complete Software Bills of Materials (SBOMs), and enforce strict access controls on environments.

3. Produce Well-Secured Software (PW)

Execute continuous automated scanning (SAST/DAST), verify compiler configurations, and sign build artifacts cryptographically.

4. Respond to Vulnerabilities (RV)

Implement a transparent Coordinated Vulnerability Disclosure (VDP) program, monitor CVEs, and patch issues within designated SLAs.

What is a Plan of Action and Milestones (POA&M)?

If a software vendor performs a self-assessment and discovers a gap—such as an missing SBOM generation script or a lack of code-signing certificates—they cannot sign CISA’s form in good faith. Under M-23-16 guidelines, vendors may negotiate a POA&M with the procuring agency.

The POA&M is a structured document that explicitly states:

  • Which specific SSDF controls are currently deficient or only partially met.
  • The exact remediation actions and technical strategies that will be applied.
  • A clear timeline and milestone schedule (typically 30, 90, or 180 days) to achieve full alignment.

While a POA&M can prevent federal sales from stalling, procuring agencies are under no obligation to accept one. Reaching low-risk status as quickly as possible is the ideal strategy for federal software suppliers.

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