Interim Approval To Test (iatt)

The term Interim Approval to Test (IATT) refers to a time-limited authorization allowing an information system to undergo testing before full operational authorization, with risks and test conditions explicitly accepted. It gives election, security, legal, or technical readers a specific label for the concept rather than a broader everyday meaning.

An IATT authorizes a system to be tested under defined conditions for a limited period; an Authorization to Operate permits the system to perform its approved operational mission after risk has been formally accepted. An IATT therefore has narrower purpose and scope and should not be treated as permission for unrestricted production use.

An IATT normally specifies the testing purpose, authorized environment, duration, users, connections, data, safeguards, and any prohibited activities. Testing must stay within those approved conditions, and the authorization expires or ends when the stated period or objective is complete. The approving authority can impose additional controls based on the system's risk.