The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) has been in place for just over a decade (2011). Its purpose is to provide a “cost-effective, risk-based approach for the adoption and use of cloud services” by the federal government. This is to equip and enable federal agencies to utilize cloud technologies in a way that minimizes risk exposure through security and protection of federal information and processes.
For a Cloud Service Provider (CSP) to be FedRAMP accredited, it must complete the following six phases. They are diagnostic assessment, boundary and architecture review, documentation, technical remediation, testing preparation & residual risk, and Final Authorization to Operate.
Just like any compliance or set of regulations, FedRAMP uses many acronyms and key terms to describe processes, standards, and regulations. This article explains key terminology that is used in the FedRAMP framework. You may already be familiar with some of these compliance terms and acronyms from other security frameworks.
Google adopted its cloud infrastructure, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), to be compliant with FedRAMP. GCP earned a FedRAMP High authorization to operate (ATO) for several cloud products in a handful of locations and has uplifted the current FedRAMP Moderate services to more products and locations. Government agencies can now work with the highest level of classified information using GCP.
The current FedRAMP Authorization process is a struggle. First, you must manage multiple regulatory standards and frameworks, which change over time. Second, regulatory standards and frameworks overlap in scope and can often conflict and be difficult to manage together. And, lastly, information systems continue to increase in size and complexity.
The federal government enacted the FedRAMP regulation in December 2011 to enable executive agencies and departments to use an assessment method based on risk and cost-effectiveness when adopting cloud technologies. A FedRAMP readiness assessment is mandatory for cloud products and solutions providers seeking to receive an Authorization to Operate (ATO). FedRAMP ATO indicates that a provider’s hosted information and systems meet FedRAMP requirements.
Aaron McCray, Ignyte’s Chief Operating Officer, is giving a brief overview of the changes to CMMC 2.0, and more specifically its Practice levels vs Maturity levels in the video below. Aaron is a commercial risk management leader by trade and a Commander in the U.S. Navy Reserves.
The future is already here. Is it everything we expected? That depends on who you ask, but the nightmare of maintaining cybersecurity has certainly persisted just as many sci-fi stories predicted. As we move further into the digital era, the stakes in cybersecurity only get higher and higher. So what are some of the main things that organizations should consider in building a solid cybersecurity strategy? Here are a few tips below.
