FedRAMP Authorization

FedRAMP authorization is a security assessment and authorization program created by the United States government to ensure that cloud service providers (CSPs) meet specific security standards. FedRAMP stands for Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program. This program was created to standardize the process by which federal agencies assess, authorize, and monitor CSPs.

Any cloud service provider that wishes to provide cloud services to federal agencies or departments must undergo the FedRAMP authorization process. This includes Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS), Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) providers. All cloud service providers that wish to offer services to federal agencies or departments must go through the FedRAMP authorization process. Cloud service providers can achieve authorization for their cloud offerings through various paths, including Agency Authorization, JAB Authorization, and DoD Impact Level Authorization. The FedRAMP authorization process is mandatory for any cloud service provider that wishes to do business with federal agencies or departments, and failure to obtain authorization can result in losing out on government contracts.

FedRAMP authorization is a several-step process that includes security assessment, documentation, and authorization. All three steps must be completed for cloud service providers to achieve FedRAMP authorization. The three most important pieces of information about the FedRAMP authorization process are:

• The FedRAMP security assessment step involves developing a system security plan (SSP) to document the organization’s security posture by documenting all system components and the security control implementation for each.
• The security assessment step involves a Third Party Assessor Organization (3PAO) that conducts a thorough evaluation of the cloud service provider’s security controls and system.
• The documentation step involves the cloud service provider submitting detailed documentation to the FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO) to demonstrate compliance with the FedRAMP security standards. Finally, the authorization step involves the government authorizing the cloud service provider to provide services to federal agencies.

FedRAMP authorization streamlines the process for cloud service providers to offer services to federal agencies, reducing duplication of effort and increasing marketability. FedRAMP authorization also provides federal agencies with a higher confidence in the security of cloud services and reduces the risk of data breaches. FedRAMP authorization ensures a consistent and cost-effective approach to security assessment and authorization for cloud service providers. Finally, FedRAMP authorization provides CSPs a competitive advantage in the marketplace because they have demonstrated they have achieved a rigorous security and governance process to protect information belonging to the U.S. government.

A Third Party Assessor Organization (3PAO) plays a critical role in the FedRAMP authorization process. They are responsible for conducting an independent assessment of the cloud service provider’s security controls and system to determine whether they meet the FedRAMP security standards. They then provide their report to the Joint Authorization Board (JAB) who reviews the security assessment package and the 3PAO’s recommendation to determine whether the CSP meets the FedRAMP minimum security requirements.