FedRAMP requirements include, as part of an organization’s security readiness, incident response capabilities that directly impact an organization’s ability to maintain authorization and protect sensitive government data. For security professionals operating in the federal cloud ecosystem, understanding the relationship between FedRAMP requirements and incident response planning is essential for both compliance and operational excellence.
FedRAMP provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services used by federal agencies. While the program’s rigorous baseline requirements ensure consistent security, the reality is that this consistency calls for a little flexibility. This is where deviation requests and significant change requests come into play. These two… Read More
Federal contractors and cloud service providers face an increasingly complex web of compliance requirements. Two frameworks dominate this landscape: CMMC and FedRAMP. This challenge hits hardest for organizations serving multiple federal sectors or providing both traditional contracting services and cloud solutions. These companies must navigate overlapping requirements, duplicate their documentation efforts, and maintain separate compliance… Read More
Unfortunately, cybercrime is once again in the news. This time, a small county in Ohio has been the victim of an attack that has destabilized its ability to provide critical services to constituents. While the damage itself isn’t devastating, it highlights the fact that no government agency, no matter how big or small, is immune… Read More
FedRAMP is at the center of the federal mandate on cloud technology, offering a standardized approach for assessing, authorizing, and continuously monitoring these services across agencies. But even with a mature framework, FedRAMP processes can be time-consuming and document-heavy. This is where the Open Security Controls Assessment Language (OSCAL) comes in. This transformative initiative introduces… Read More
As the federal government continues to move critical systems into the cloud, SaaS offerings inevitably move to the forefront of digital transformation. These solutions provide the scalability and flexibility these agencies need, even if they introduce unique security challenges. Namely, isolation strategies become paramount when serving multiple tenants, especially in high-security environments. FedRAMP sets rigorous… Read More
FedRAMP, initially established in 2011 to standardize the security authorization of cloud services for federal use, has often been criticized for its complexity and cost. To address these challenges, the FedRAMP Program Management Office launched FedRAMP 20x—a modernization initiative designed to radically transform how cloud service providers achieve and maintain FedRAMP authorization. FedRAMP 20x represents… Read More
Achieving FedRAMP authorization requires a hardened approach to cryptographic validation beyond shallow ciphers. For CSPs, simply saying that you use AES-256 or support TLS without verified, validated cryptographic modules introduces fatal flaws into authorization efforts. To succeed, CSPs must build systems that assume validation is an operational need and not something they do after the… Read More
Penetration testing plays a vital role in FedRAMP assessments, and red team testing represents this domain’s most advanced and realistic evaluation form. This article delves into the scope, process, and value of red team penetration testing in the FedRAMP context, providing insights for cloud service providers, third-party assessment organizations, and federal stakeholders.
Incorporating open-source software (OSS) into organizational systems offers numerous benefits, including flexibility, innovation, and cost savings. However, for entities operating under stringent regulatory frameworks such as CMMC, FedRAMP, and HIPAA, adopting OSS requires careful consideration to ensure compliance. This article explores the effectiveness of OSS within these regulations and outlines the essential measures organizations must… Read More
A critical component of the FedRAMP framework is its adherence to cryptographic standards, specifically the Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-3. Data privacy is essential to compliance, and the National Institute of Standards and Technology has clearly defined the requirements for just how a FedRAMP-compliance organization encrypts its data. This article will cover those requirements… 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
We’re well into the era of “hybrid,” where many tech and office jobs are managed from the comfort of our employees’ homes alongside elective trips to the office. This approach to work is often much more convenient and flexible than on-site work (when possible), but it introduces its own set of challenges, specifically around security. Hybrid… Read More
2024 has been a watershed year for FedRAMP, ushering in significant structural, procedural, and technological advancements to the program meant to streamline authorization and make bringing cloud products to federal agencies easier. From new governance to new paths to authorization, we’re recapping FedRAMP’s changes in 2024.
FedRAMP has been a cornerstone of cloud adoption in the federal sector, ensuring that cloud service providers meet rigorous security standards. However, as digital transformation accelerates and government agencies seek faster adoption of innovative solutions, traditional compliance methods have proven time-consuming and resource-intensive. To address these challenges, FedRAMP has introduced the Agile Delivery Pilot, a… Read More
As federal agencies increasingly adopt cloud-native applications, containerized environments have become essential for deploying and scaling applications efficiently. Containers allow developers to package applications with all dependencies in isolated, consistent environments that run across multiple platforms, making them a popular choice for cloud service providers. However, this rise in container use also introduces unique security… Read More
FedRAMP is typically designed for traditional IT and cloud environments. However, IoT ecosystems’ highly interconnected and complex nature introduces new security, compliance, and management hurdles for organizations attempting to expand their FedRAMP perimeter. Scaling FedRAMP compliance across IoT networks requires advanced strategies and technologies to meet FedRAMP’s stringent requirements while addressing IoT-specific vulnerabilities. This article… Read More
FedRAMP is essential for cloud service providers working with federal agencies. It ensures that cloud products and services meet rigorous security standards, especially given the growing reliance on cloud solutions in the public sector. Advanced cloud security automation can significantly improve FedRAMP compliance by streamlining compliance processes, reducing manual overhead, and enhancing continuous monitoring, making… Read More
Ensuring FedRAMP compliance across multi-tenant environments is a significant challenge for managed service and cloud providers offering services to U.S. federal agencies. These environments, which allow multiple tenants to share computing resources while maintaining isolated data environments, must adhere to stringent security requirements defined by FedRAMP. Understanding these requirements and how to implement them effectively… 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
Securing these digital environments is paramount as cloud-based systems and services become more integral to government operations. Enter the FedRAMP Digital Authorization Package Pilot, a significant milestone in modernizing and automating the FedRAMP authorization process. This pilot program aims to streamline the FedRAMP process, accelerating cloud adoption by improving security assessments’ efficiency, transparency, and reusability.… Read More
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is evolving to streamline and enhance its cloud security framework for federal agencies and cloud service providers (CSPs). The latest updates, stemming from two significant announcements, signify critical shifts in FedRAMP’s authorization process, which aims to promote efficiency, security, and scalability for cloud solutions used across government… Read More
As government agencies continue to rely on cloud services and secure data management, companies involved in these sectors must navigate complex regulatory landscapes. The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) and the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) are two of the most critical frameworks in this space. For companies pulling multiple responsibilities in government… Read More
In today’s highly regulated environment, federal agencies and their contractors must navigate a complex landscape of security requirements. For BDMs and TDMs, understanding and leveraging FedRAMP-compliant platforms is crucial for successfully navigating the authorization process and ensuring long-term operational security. This article will focus on why it’s crucial to find and work with security tools… Read More