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As more government agencies move sensitive data to the cloud, ensuring security and compliance is of paramount importance. As such, the FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) assessment and authorization process is a critical framework to ensure that cloud environments meet federal security standards.

Recent changes to FedRAMP® have sparked conversations about the program’s future, but one fact remains clear: FedRAMP is here to stay. Recognized as a critical program by the General Services Administration (GSA), it plays a key role in ensuring the security of cloud services used by federal agencies. That said, as the program evolves, notable changes are imminent.

Cybersecurity is no longer just a best practice—it’s a necessity, a foundational pillar of our national security. For over a decade, FedRAMP, or the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, has set the gold standard for securing the federal government’s cloud infrastructure, saving time, resources, and taxpayer dollars. But today, we stand at a crossroads. The challenges in front of us - bureaucratic roadblocks, inefficiencies, and budget constraints - threaten to unravel years of progress. The question is clear: Will we rise to the occasion, modernizing FedRAMP without sacrificing its integrity? Or will we allow short-term obstacles to drag us backward into an era of duplication, inconsistency, and increased vulnerability?

When deciding to take on a new compliance initiative, one question that often gets asked is whether or not work done for prior assessments can be leveraged to save time or money. For those who have pursued FedRAMP Authorization and now wish to go through IRAP—both frameworks that must be adhered to as a means to do business with two different governments—the good news is that your experience with FedRAMP will provide a solid foundation for IRAP.

In today’s ever-evolving cyber threat landscape, maintaining robust cybersecurity isn’t just a regulatory requirement—it’s a business imperative, and there are multiple avenues organizations can take to do so.

While the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Cybersecurity Framework (CSF) is technically just a set of guidelines, best practices, and standards intended to improve your infrastructure so that organizations can better manage and reduce cybersecurity risk, it’s possible to go through a five-step assessment process to make sure you really are adhering to those standards and provide independent assurance to your customers.

When organizations opt to pursue a new compliance initiative, aside from cost and necessary resources, the first thought is usually regarding what to expect. That’s true for StateRAMP as well, and though many may—correctly—assume that there are some similarities between it and the more popular FedRAMP, there are several very clear deviations by the former from the latter that you know about going in.

The release of FedRAMP’s Revision 5 has raised many questions, including those regarding the addition of a red team exercise requirement for those seeking FedRAMP authorization. As the #1 provider of FedRAMP assessments on the Marketplace who have extensive experience in offensive security, we have insight to offer.