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Cloud technologies increase access to information, streamline communication between government agencies and citizens, and accelerate information sharing. And that’s why the U.S. government has become a champion of cloud computing.
But each perk comes with a risk, and in response, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) created the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP). If you’re a cloud service provider (CSP), software-as-a-service (SaaS) company, or other vendor interested in working with federal government agencies, FedRAMP certification proves that your organization meets the security standards required to successfully safeguard information.
Here’s how to get FedRAMP certification.
What Is FedRAMP?
FedRAMP is a set of standards and certification processes that helps CSPs mitigate risk when working with government agencies. Federal data is sensitive, and for cloud software to be eligible for government use, it needs to be FedRAMP certified. This means the software has to undergo standardized authorizations, security assessments, and continuous monitoring to ensure trustworthiness.
While the OMB initially developed FedRAMP in 2011, many other entities have come together to operate the program, including the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Think of the Department of the Treasury. This agency uses cloud services to manage highly sensitive financial information across the country. By working with a FedRAMP-compliant CSP, the agency knows that data is as safe as possible.
FedRAMP Compliance Requirements: How to Earn a FedRAMP Cloud Certification
Here’s a quick guide to the FedRAMP certification process:
1. Gather FedRAMP Documents
As a CSP or other vendor, you have to start by gathering documentation. Visit the FedRAMP website to filter through various templates and documents and find the ones that apply to you. These resources equip you with the documentation necessary to prepare, authorize, and monitor your cloud security.
2. Complete the FIPS 199 Assessment
The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 199 assessment gauges the sensitivity of the data your organization stores and transmits. It has three categories: low, moderate, or high impact. The higher the impact, the stricter the requirements you must meet. Most organizations are considered moderate.
Here’s a more detailed look at the FIPS 199 Assessment categories:
Low Impact
If your organization only stores login details as personally identifiable information (PII), you fall into the low-impact category. This is because a data breach wouldn’t significantly impact the agency’s operations or tarnish its trustworthiness meaningfully.
Moderate Impact
About 80% of the CSPs applying to become FedRAMP certified are moderate-impact. If information gets lost at this level, it would substantially impact the agency’s team, operations, or assets.
High Impact
High-impact CSPs have the strictest guidelines because if data is stolen, unavailable, or has integrity issues, the consequences would be catastrophic and far-reaching. Financial services and healthcare organizations often fall into this category because they deal with sensitive data.
3. Complete the 3PAO Readiness Assessment
For the third-party assessment organization (3PAO), you participate in a third-party cybersecurity attestation and receive a Readiness Assessment Report (RAR). Choose an accredited organization from the FedRAMP marketplace to perform the assessment.
This step isn’t mandatory depending on which authorization path you follow for certification (which we’ll cover below), but it’s recommended regardless. The assessment helps you identify potential improvements and offers insight into your risk posture, which is invaluable.
4. Develop a POA&M and Implement It
Develop a plan of action and milestones (POA&M), a document that describes how your security control implementation efforts are going. This helps you analyze, spot, and close any security gaps before FedRAMP certification. Include a structured timeline and clearly detail the actions you’ll take to address the gaps.
The key to this step is clear documentation. When you can’t fix gaps immediately, you need a concrete plan that both you and any third-party organizations can refer to as a source of truth.
5. Decide on the Authorization Route
Determine which of the two authorization routes you want to follow: Agency or Joint Authorization Board (JAB). The steps toward certification differ slightly within these two routes, but they’re relatively similar. With JAB, you must be chosen by the FedRAMP board, and with the agency route, you partner with a 3PAO independently. We’ll discuss each option in depth later.
6. Ensure Continuous Monitoring
To achieve FedRAMP compliance, your organization must maintain continuous monitoring, both internally and externally. The 3PAO might conduct penetration testing, vulnerability scanning, and other assessments on a monthly or annual basis to make sure security efforts don’t stop at FedRAMP.
Types of FedRAMP Certifications
As of August 2024, there will be one level of certification: FedRAMP Authorized. With this, the former tiers of authorizations and different “paths” to certification will be removed.
Previously, there were two FedRAMP authorization processes you could choose.
Agency Authorization
For the Agency Authorization route, you have to find a federal agency sponsor to guide the certification. Choose one from the same federal marketplace linked above. You partner with this organization throughout the authorization process. The Agency Authorization process will be standard moving forward.
This starts with pre-authorization, where you meet with the agency, formalize the partnership, and address any required changes and compliance details. Then, the 3PAO conducts a security assessment and prepares an RAR and POA&M. If everything looks good, it issues an Authorization to Operate (ATO).
This route offers flexibility and speed, but it requires developing a close relationship with the 3PAO sponsor. If the sponsor churns, you have to start again, which can be a huge roadblock.
JAB Authorization
The JAB was FedRAMP’s highest governing body, which included officials from the Department of Defense, the General Services Administration (which manages the FedRAMP program), and the Department of Homeland Security. It’s been replaced by the FedRAMP Board to oversee certification.
This path is becoming defunct as all certifications become FedRAMP Authorized and the JAB is replaced. Before, if JAB selected your organization, you then worked with a 3PAO to compile an RAR, Security Assessment Plan (SAP), and POA&M. When successful, you’d receive a Provisional Authorization to Operate (P-ATO), indicating that you’re approved for federal use. Now, no P-ATO statuses will be given. Only FedRAMP Authorized.
Navigate Security Reporting With Legit Security
If you want to work with federal agencies, FedRAMP certification is a must.
Need help getting started? Try Legit Security. We offer tools that automate reports for FedRAMP compliance so you can leave the heavy lifting to us. Request a demo today and see how Legit Security can improve your security practices and keep all information safe—governmental or otherwise.