What is Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation (CDM) and its role in U.S. government cyber defense?

• A. A program providing continuous monitoring and remediation of endpoint vulnerabilities and configurations to reduce risk.
• B. A framework for real-time threat hunting using manual analysis.
• C. A training program for cyber operators.
• D. A policy document about cloud service usage.

Answer: (A)

Continuous Diagnostics and Mitigation is a government-wide program that provides ongoing visibility into cyber health and feeds that information into actions to reduce risk. It focuses on continuous monitoring of key security controls, asset inventories, vulnerability statuses, and configuration baselines across endpoints and systems, then guides or automates remediation to close gaps quickly. The aim is to move from periodic assessments to an ongoing, real-time-like cycle where weaknesses are identified and fixed promptly, improving the overall security posture of federal networks. This capability relies on standardized data feeds, dashboards, and automation to help agencies prioritize and track risk reduction within the risk management framework. It’s not about manual threat hunting, training programs, or policy documents, but about sustaining continuous diagnostics and timely mitigation to strengthen defense.