US Army launches Project Gatekeeper to accelerate commercial software adoption, streamline cybersecurity accreditation

WASHINGTON - The U.S. Army's Office of the Chief Information Officer launched Project Gatekeeper on Oct. 23, a DevSecOps platform and security evaluation sandbox designed to transform how the service tests, accredits and deploys commercial software.

Project Gatekeeper, which comes online this afternoon, draws its authorization framework from the Army's DevSecOps Platform, which provides a dedicated commercial-facing relay into the Army's non-classified internet protocol router network ecosystem. The platform serves as a prescreening software assurance capability that enables commercial developers to submit code and containerized applications into isolated testing environments, providing automated security feedback and risk assessments in near-real time.

"The concept behind Project Gatekeeper is to set industry up for success to engage with the Army rapidly and securely," said Gabe Chiulli, acting Army chief information officer. "Historically, companies had to navigate disparate, ad-hoc mechanisms simply to get their code evaluated. Project Gatekeeper replaces operational bottlenecks with an automated, commercial-friendly intake pipeline that cuts evaluation cycles from months down to minutes while safeguarding our network perimeter."

For years, commercial software providers - particularly non-traditional defense vendors and small technology startups - faced significant friction when navigating the Army's cybersecurity accreditation process. Obtaining an authority to operate, known as an ATO, or military sponsorship, often required existing defense contracts, common access card credentials and approval timelines stretching from six to eight months or longer.

Using state-of-the-art security tooling, Project Gatekeeper conducts comprehensive automated code scans, identifies vulnerabilities, verifies compliance guardrails and provides commercial engineers with immediate remediation guidance. Rather than burdening software vendors with manual documentation, the platform's automated pipelines generate standardized compliance artifacts and evidence dossiers needed by authorizing officials to make fast, risk-informed ATO determinations.

Vendor code runs in secure, containerized enclaves that prevent unauthorized exposure to operational data while allowing authentic testing against Army enterprise standards. Shortly after release, through super intelligence, known as SI, integration, the platform will also begin leveraging frontier security models from SI partners to strengthen existing security tools, provide aggregated security reporting and help prioritize remediation efforts.

Access to Project Gatekeeper is currently available to vendors with a Department of War common access card. Public access will become available soon through Login.gov, a secure gateway that enables authentication and vetting of personnel who are accessing the DevSecOps platform from the commercial internet.

Project Gatekeeper aligns with broader Department of War initiatives to maintain technological overmatch through agile acquisition and continuous software delivery. By bridging commercial innovation with mission-critical security standards, the platform ensures warfighters operate with modern, dependable digital tools.

"Our warfighters are digital natives who expect modern software capabilities to support their mission," Chiulli added. "Project Gatekeeper establishes the automated foundation required to scale with the speed of commercial technology, ensuring our troops receive cutting-edge tools safely and without unnecessary administrative delays."

Commercial technology firms and software developers interested in using Project Gatekeeper can access the platform here. The Army's Office of the Chief Information Officer leads the digital modernization of the U.S. Army, delivering global, modern and resilient information technology architectures, cybersecurity and cloud capabilities to enable multi-domain and joint force operations worldwide.