FedRAMP

FedRAMP, the federal risk and authorization management program, is a U.S. government-wide initiative that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud services. It aims to enable reuse of security assessments across federal agencies, reduce duplicative work, and accelerate the procurement of cloud products.

FedRAMP uses a baseline framework aligned with NIST SP 800-53 security controls. There are three baselines—Low, Moderate, and High—reflecting different levels of impact to confidentiality, integrity, and availability. Most federal cloud deployments rely on the Moderate baseline, while High applies to high-impact systems handling sensitive information. Security requirements are documented in a System Security Plan and assessed by accredited Third-Party Assessment Organizations (3PAOs).

Authorization follows a formal workflow. Cloud service providers prepare a security package and engage a 3PAO to conduct an independent assessment. For federal-wide authorization, the Joint Authorization Board (JAB), consisting of designated officials from the General Services Administration, Department of Defense, and Department of Homeland Security, reviews the package and issues a Provisional Authorization to Operate (P-ATO). Agencies may issue their own Agency ATO based on the FedRAMP package. After authorization, the cloud service enters continuous monitoring, with ongoing security reporting and periodic reassessments.

FedRAMP maintains the FedRAMP Marketplace, a public catalog of cloud services with current authorization status. The program is managed by the FedRAMP Program Management Office at GSA, with input from partner agencies and industry. While designed to standardize security and reuse assessments, the process can be time-consuming, and ongoing monitoring requires sustained governance.