Adopting hybrid cloud systems—blending private on-premises infrastructure with public cloud services—has surged as organizations seek scalability, cost-efficiency, and flexibility. However, securing Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in these environments remains a critical challenge. These systems will use encryption to protect this data… but hybrid clouds introduce unique complexities due to data mobility, shared responsibility models, and… Read More
FedRAMP has become the gold standard for securing cloud services used by U.S. federal agencies. With the introduction of the Open Security Controls Assessment Language (OSCAL), FedRAMP assessments are transforming toward automation, consistency, and scalability. OSCAL-based mastering evaluations are critical for organizations pursuing FedRAMP authorization. They streamline compliance efforts and reduce time to market. This… Read More
The CMMC framework represents a critical evolution in securing the DIB. For organizations handling Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in the highest-risk contexts, achieving CMMC Level 3 compliance requires defenses against sophisticated adversaries like nation-state APTs. Traditional compliance checks and penetration testing are insufficient to validate these controls. Instead, red teaming—a full-scope, adversarial simulation—is essential to… Read More
The increasing sophistication of cyber threats and strict (and complex) regulatory requirements create a professional environment where every player on your team has to know what they can and cannot do. In this regard, training and continuing education are non-negotiable. This article discusses the critical importance of such training, the evolving threat landscape, and best… Read More
CMMC sets a high cybersecurity standard for organizations handling Controlled Unclassified Information, focusing on continuous monitoring, incident response, and reporting, which aligns directly with SIEM capabilities. A SIEM can significantly ease the CMMC audit process by providing real-time monitoring, automating log management, and supporting incident response protocols. This article examines how SIEM systems can support… Read More
Navigating FedRAMP High Authorization is a critical process for CSPs seeking to offer services to federal agencies. This authorization ensures that a cloud offering meets stringent security requirements to handle the most sensitive federal information. It demonstrates a high level of security that can lend itself to other federal government applications. This article will delve… Read More
In today’s data-driven world, organizations handle vast amounts of sensitive information daily. Data compliance and robust governance are crucial for maintaining data integrity, confidentiality, and availability while avoiding the pitfalls of a privacy breach or noncompliance. This article discusses what it means to implement data governance policies for data compliance across several different (privacy-centric) frameworks. … Read More
Across government and private organizations, the need to match records and confirm death has become a major concern. People who take out credit or receive benefits do so because they are living, and once they pass, there must be a way to align the state of their benefits and finances. This is where the NTIS… Read More
Hardware, operating systems, software and apps, and third-party platforms are all components of your IT infrastructure, including its operating procedures and settings. Misconfiguration of these components can have ripple effects across an entire network, so investing time and effort into configuration management is critical. Here, we cover secure configuration management and why it’s essential for… Read More
We are big believers in packaging your compliance needs into a single, effective standard within your organization. It doesn’t make any sense to double up on work, and streamlining compliance across multiple standards makes your efforts better and faster. In light of that, we’re discussing how you can streamline some of your existing ISO compliance… Read More
We use “the digital supply chain” regularly because enterprise and government businesses rely heavily on it. The relationships between vendors, cloud providers, software, and customers are so deeply intertwined that it’s impossible to avoid the big picture–that security is a complex activity that can span dozens of entities. A recently discovered flaw in the R… Read More
Streamline Compliance and Documentation with Continuum GRC AI Automate reporting with machine learning and AI. The Necessity of Accurate Reporting in Compliance Documentation and reports are the end product and backbone of your compliance efforts. They are how your organization demonstrates compliance with relevant regulatory and governing bodies.
As organizations move up the CMMC maturity model, they do so for one reason: to prepare themselves better to protect against Advanced Persistent Threats (APTs). These threats are a significant problem in the defense supply chain, and as such, CMMC leans heavily on NIST 800-171 and 800-172 to address them. This article introduces how these… Read More
The issue of cookies and user tracking has long been an issue, but the importance of these marketing and development tools has kept them a vital part of our web experiences. However, Google announced that its popular Chrome browser would no longer support third-party cookies, and in January 2024, they began rolling out anti-cookie technology. … Read More
There’s recently been a push within FedRAMP towards modernizing the framework to meet modern security challenges and better align federal security standards across agencies and technologies. Part of this push is standardizing how security controls are measured and assessed, and the most recent blog from FedRAMP mentions a new standard–OSCAL. Here, we will discuss OSCAL,… Read More
One of the ongoing challenges of GDPR is its (until recently) fragmented compliance and assessment approach. The requirements of GDPR are relatively open–they focus on standards and expectations, not implementation. Therefore, many assessment tools and frameworks have emerged to address the situation. Recently, Europrivacy has risen as a potential centralization of assessments under a common… Read More
The defense sector, responsible for safeguarding national security, is particularly vulnerable to cyber threats. As cyber-attacks become more sophisticated, there’s an urgent need for a comprehensive framework to ensure the security of sensitive data. The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) is a strategic initiative by the Department of Defense (DoD) to enhance the cybersecurity posture… Read More
Central to data protection in the EU is the GDPR and its data processing regulation. One of the most challenging aspects of GDPR is adjudicating the relationships between different parties handling data for various purposes–namely, relationships between managed service providers and the various, nebulous groups of organizations that use data for their daily operations. In… Read More
The ISO/IEC 17021-1:2015 is a global guideline designed to shape how organizations that perform audits and certifications for management systems should operate. Released by the International Organization for Standardization and the International Electrotechnical Commission, this standard aims to improve the reliability and uniformity of these audits and certifications by outlining the essential requirements these organizations… Read More
Passwords are our oldest form of digital security… and, in most cases, one of the weakest links in identity management and authentication. Phishing, database breaches, and poor digital hygiene have made authentication challenging for security and compliance. They have become the quintessential keys to our online kingdoms. As cyberattacks grow more sophisticated, there’s a mounting… Read More
Within the world of healthcare compliance and information security, there’s been increasing confusion around some terms and organizations. We’ve heard a bit about some of this confusion, specifically around HITRUST and HIPAA. Both are connected to the preservation of health information, yet they fulfill separate functions and are founded on differing principles. This article clarifies… Read More
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) plays a pivotal role in safeguarding the security of cloud services within the U.S. federal government. An essential element of this program is the Joint Authorization Board (JAB), which is responsible for prioritizing and authorizing cloud offerings offered by cloud providers. The JAB prioritization process is a… Read More
Assessments for both StateRAMP and FedRAMP rely on the 3PAO’s understanding of the systems and people that will interact with a specific government agency. With this knowledge, it’s easier to determine where particular requirements begin and where they end. Across both of these frameworks, this concept is known as the “authorization boundary.” The authorization boundary… Read More
According to a recent report by IT Governance, there were over 70 data breaches in June 2023 alone–accounting for compromising over 14 million data records. Once these records are out in the open, they are often sold on the dark web. Following that, it’s just a matter of time before hackers can use this data… Read More