FedRAMP Security Compliance

CSP, PMO, JAB, 3PAO? If these terms mean something to you, you’ve probably been looking into FedRAMP Security Compliance. If you want to deliver cloud services to the U.S. Federal Government, you’ve got to master the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, or FedRAMP. Navigating the review and authorization process and ensuring continual monitoring requires a deliberate compliance strategy.

Achieving FedRAMP compliance often requires changes to business operations. And maintaining continuous accreditation means avoiding compliance pitfalls in the drive towards technical innovation. 38North’s dedicated senior-level FedRAMP compliance consultant makes the process easier. Trust Us to Get You There.

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38North Is Your Expert FedRAMP Advisor

Having been in the FedRAMP business since its inception, our security experts have helped hundreds of companies achieve FedRAMP authorization and deliver secure services to the U.S. Federal Government and beyond. Plus, our global perspective helps eliminate the mistakes and rework that often come with new FedRAMP authorization. We can identify gaps or opportunities that will help shortcut the time and effort of your team.

A little or a lot, we can provide guidance — or help with documentation development and security engineering — to help you achieve FedRAMP ATO.

Our Advisory Lifecycle

The FedRAMP Process

The FedRAMP process involves four distinct phases, each of which requires careful documentation, engagement, and authorization with the CSP, 3PAO, JAB, FedRAMP PMO and sponsoring agencies. You could read the overview below, or you could talk with one of our FedRAMP experts about getting your ATO.

Preparation

Assessment

Authorization

Continuous Monitoring

Preparation

Not to be understated, the preparation phase is critical to FedRAMP success. Existing systems need to be examined to gauge readiness before an assessment is considered. This includes thorough review of security programs, architecture and implementation. Once gaps are known remedial measures are designed and implemented. Documentation meeting exacting FedRAMP standards is developed. Avoid the pitfalls with a seasoned team of experts to ensure your system will withstand FedRAMP scrutiny.

Assessment

CSPs complete a comprehensive assessment and review of their cloud service offering (CSO) by a third party assessment organization (3PAO) to demonstrate compliance with the FedRAMP requirements. Control implementation is key along with specific requirements that are considered mandatory. Identified weaknesses may be remediated during the assessment period to reduce the overall number of open findings listed in the Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M).

Authorization

Results of the security assessment from the 3PAO are reviewed by the sponsoring agency to determine whether an Authority to Operate (ATO) decision can be awarded. The Authorization package is also reviewed by the FedRAMP PMO to determine whether it will be listed on the FedRAMP marketplace. Multiple agencies may authorize a CSO.

Continuous Monitoring

After authorization is granted, CSPs must continue to maintain and monitor their systems in accordance with FedRAMP continuous monitoring requirements to ensure secure operation over time. CSPs must also report any significant changes made to the authorized CSO while also undergoing annual 3PAO assessment.

FedRamp Challenges

Obtaining a FedRAMP authorization can be a challenging process due to the complexity and rigor of the security requirements. Overall, these challenges can cause delays and increased costs when trying to obtain a FedRAMP authorization.

Time & Investment

Organizations need to invest significant time, effort, and resources to complete all of the required tasks for preparing, assessing and documenting their cloud service. Additionally, they must wait for government agencies and third-party assessors to review their documentation before they can achieve an ATO. Changes needed to make the cloud services FedRAMP compliant can have a dramatic impact on schedule.

Expertise

The security requirements outlined in FedRAMP control baselines need to be interpreted correctly during assessment and authorization. Organizations may not have the right personnel or expertise in house that are needed to ensure compliance with these standards.

Change Management

Organizations must also manage changes effectively over time to maintain compliance with FedRAMP requirements. This includes updating systems or processes, re-documenting changes, and providing evidence that any modifications did not result in a decrease in security posture.

FedRAMP Compliance, the 38North Way

No-Surprises FedRAMP ATOs

We mitigate the chance of ATO delays and denials by ensuring your submission package is done right. Our experience and expertise with technology and partnership with the 3PAO community ensure a complete and technically sound process, every time.

Embedded FedRAMP Experts

Distant compliance consultants that just dictate “to-dos” never work out for companies. That’s why our team is embedded within your engineering and development teams — to help build controls around your business case. This, in turn, results in compliant security policies and procedures that are sustainable and result in stronger security posture.

Scalable Engagements

Our approach is tailored to meet client-specific objectives. Some clients just need a basic gap analysis and staff augmentation support. Others want to outsource their entire security compliance and continuous monitoring programs. We work with every major FedRAMP IaaS provider, including AWS, Google Cloud Platform (GCP), Microsoft Azure, IBM, VMware and Oracle.

Collaborative and Complete

We’re also known across the FedRAMP ecosystem, from the FedRAMP PMO and Joint Authorization Board (JAB), to the US Cabinet Agencies and across the US Department of Defense. We understand what these organizations look for when assessing, accrediting and choosing Cloud Service Providers. Based on your chosen path to compliance, we can anticipate objections and avoid roadblocks to provide a smooth transition to FedRAMP compliance.

38North FedRamp Solutions

FedRAMP Gap Analysis

New to FedRAMP and don’t know how to get started? Our gap analyses will educate you on the process while evaluating your cloud solutions to see how they fare against the FedRAMP minimum security control baselines — at a fraction of the cost (and headache) of a full assessment.

FedRAMP Advisory Support

If you’ve committed to the FedRAMP process but need help developing the required documentation, our experienced consultants can help. Our FedRAMP consultants can develop all FedRAMP documentation. Learn more about Documentation Development in our Cloud Security Advisory.

FedRAMP Assessment Support

If you’re preparing for your first FedRAMP assessment but need help, contact our experienced FedRAMP consultants. We’re well-versed in the quirks of the process and can quickly resolve findings. We also have relationships across the 3PAO community to resolve misunderstandings and facilitate a smooth assessment.

FedRAMP Remediation Support

If you have completed a FedRAMP assessment recently and need assistance with remedial measures, our expert cloud security advisors can speed your remediation efforts — getting you to ATO quicker. This may mean new technologies, policies, plans, procedures, or training and awareness sessions.

FedRAMP Continuous Monitoring

Achieving FedRAMP accreditation is tricky. But holding on to that accreditation is even harder. Continuous Monitoring packages take care of daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual continuous monitoring tasks so you can stay focused on your organization’s success.

What is FedRAMP?

FedRAMP is a government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services.

Being a FedRAMP-certified Cloud Service Provider (CSP) and being listed on the FedRAMP marketplace open doors to new customers and streamline sales and acquisition by the federal customers and the whole federal ecosystem. But beyond that, FedRAMP provides some of the highest assurance of security in the industry.

What Customers Require FedRAMP?

Federal customers who use cloud services (e.g., Software as a Service, Platform as a Service, or Infrastructure as a Service) must meet FedRAMP’s rigorous standards in order to achieve compliance. These standards are based on NIST’s Special Publication 800-53, which outlines criteria for protecting federal information systems from threats and vulnerabilities. This means you cannot sell to federal customers (or their providers in some cases) without a FedRAMP authorization.

How does FedRAMP protect me?

FedRAMP authorization is essential for businesses who handle sensitive data and want to protect their digital assets from potential cybersecurity threats overall. But not having it can mean missing out on opportunities for growth. It also helps organizations maintain an efficient development process that meets regulatory requirements while reducing costs associated with implementing additional measures after deployment.

INTERNATIONAL COMPANY?

If you plan on providing cloud offerings (COs) to many U.S. entities, especially the government, they may require you to gain FedRAMP clearance. The good news is that any existing work you’ve done for other global compliance may help you jump-start that process. As global cloud security experts, we can help you translate that work into the FedRAMP process.

See Global Compliance

Your FedRAMP ATO Starts Here

Book an initial FedRAMP conversation with one of our global security experts today and we’ll show you how FedRAMP certification can help open new markets and provide industry-leading assurance.

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