TL,DR: FedRAMP requires cloud service providers to achieve authorization through independent third-party assessment organizations (3PAOs) before serving U.S. federal agencies, with 3 impact levels: Low (125 controls), Moderate (325 controls), and High (421 controls) Authorization follows 2 paths: Agency Authorization sponsored by a specific federal agency, or JAB Provisional Authorization reviewed by the Joint Authorization…
Organizations today handle large amounts of data on a daily basis. It ranges from sensitive customer details to public information. The absence of a structured way to manage this data poses various threats like data breaches, cyber-attacks, data loss, etc. This lack of structure can lead to critical data being under-protected and non-sensitive data being…
TL,DR: ISMS frameworks help organizations manage information security through structured policies and controls. Popular frameworks support risk management, governance, compliance, and continuous improvement. Choosing the right framework depends on industry, regulatory needs, customer expectations, and security maturity. One of the best ways to adhere to security best practices is using a compliance framework. These guidelines…
TL,DR: FISMA (2002) sets IT security standards for federal agencies and contractors with one-to-one authorization per agency. FedRAMP (2011) standardizes cloud security with one-to-many authorization covering all agencies FISMA requires system inventory, risk assessments, security plans, control implementation, ongoing monitoring, and annual OMB reviews. FedRAMP requires independent 3PAO assessment and continuous monitoring of cloud services…
TL,DR: NIST SP 800-53 is a security controls catalog for federal systems under FISMA containing 20 control families. FedRAMP applies those same controls specifically to cloud service providers seeking to serve federal agencies FedRAMP builds on NIST 800-53 by adding cloud-specific requirements, mandatory third-party assessment by accredited 3PAOs, and a standardized authorization process that federal…
If you have landed here, you need a compliance and risk management tool and have narrowed down to these two candidates. While their capabilities are pretty similar, it is critical to understand the minor differences that can make a huge difference. We have also added another player in the field of security compliance—Sprinto. This article…