FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program)

What is Fedramp Federal Risk And Authorization Management Program?

FedRAMP, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, is a government-wide program that standardizes security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. It ensures that cloud solutions used by federal agencies have adequate security controls in place to protect government data. This is vital for government contractors offering cloud-based services.

Definition

FedRAMP was established to provide a consistent framework for evaluating and authorizing cloud services used by the U.S. federal government. It stems from the Clinger-Cohen Act (CCA) and the Federal Information Security Modernization Act (FISMA), which mandate strong cybersecurity practices. The program streamlines the assessment process, enabling agencies to rapidly adopt secure cloud solutions. Contractors pursuing FedRAMP authorization must demonstrate compliance with a comprehensive set of security controls based on National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) guidelines, specifically NIST SP 800-53. Achieving and maintaining FedRAMP authorization is crucial for government contractors who wish to offer cloud-based solutions to federal agencies. It represents a significant investment but is often a prerequisite for many lucrative government contracts.

Key Points

• Standardized Security: FedRAMP offers a consistent and repeatable process for cloud security assessments and authorizations.
• Reciprocity: Agencies can leverage existing FedRAMP authorizations to avoid duplicative assessments of cloud service offerings. This is known as reciprocity.
• Continuous Monitoring: FedRAMP requires cloud service providers to implement continuous monitoring programs to detect and respond to security incidents.
• Impact Levels: FedRAMP categorizes data and systems based on their potential impact (Low, Moderate, High) to determine the appropriate security controls.

Practical Examples

1. SaaS Provider Offering HR Software: A software company offering a cloud-based HR management system to federal agencies must obtain FedRAMP authorization to demonstrate that its platform meets government security standards for handling sensitive employee data.
2. IaaS Provider Hosting Agency Applications: An Infrastructure as a Service (IaaS) provider hosting agency applications and data within its cloud environment needs FedRAMP authorization. This demonstrates that the underlying infrastructure meets security requirements.
3. Platform as a Service (PaaS) for Developers: A PaaS provider enabling federal agencies to develop and deploy applications in the cloud must also comply with FedRAMP. This ensures secure development practices and a secure deployment environment.