FedRAMP Guidelines

FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services used by federal agencies.

FedRAMP Overview

Impact Levels

Authorization Paths

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                      FEDRAMP AUTHORIZATION PATHS                             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

┌─────────────────────────────────┐   ┌─────────────────────────────────┐
│      JAB Authorization          │   │    Agency Authorization         │
│                                 │   │                                 │
│  Joint Authorization Board      │   │  Single agency sponsor          │
│  Provisional ATO (P-ATO)        │   │  Agency-specific ATO            │
│  Reusable across agencies       │   │  Can leverage for other agencies│
│  Higher rigor, longer timeline  │   │  Faster, agency-specific        │
└─────────────────────────────────┘   └─────────────────────────────────┘

Security Control Families

NIST 800-53 Control Families

Key Control Requirements

Access Control (AC)

# AC-2: Account Management
controls:
  account_management:
    - Identify account types (individual, group, system, service)
    - Establish conditions for membership
    - Assign account managers
    - Authorize account creation
    - Create, enable, modify, disable, and remove accounts
    - Monitor account usage
    - Review accounts periodically

# Implementation example
account_policy:
  types:
    - name: individual
      requires_approval: true
      approver: manager
      review_frequency: 90_days

    - name: service_account
      requires_approval: true
      approver: security_team
      review_frequency: 30_days
      password_rotation: 90_days

    - name: emergency_access
      requires_approval: true
      approver: ciso
      max_duration: 24_hours
      audit_required: true

Audit and Accountability (AU)

# AU-2: Audit Events
audit_events:
  - account_logon_events
  - account_management
  - directory_service_access
  - logon_events
  - object_access
  - policy_change
  - privilege_use
  - process_tracking
  - system_events

# AU-6: Audit Review, Analysis, and Reporting
audit_review:
  frequency: weekly
  automated_analysis: true
  alerts:
    - suspicious_login_attempts
    - privilege_escalation
    - unauthorized_access_attempts
    - system_configuration_changes
  reporting:
    - weekly_summary
    - monthly_trending
    - quarterly_executive_report

Configuration Management (CM)

# CM-2: Baseline Configuration
baseline_configuration:
  documentation:
    - hardware_inventory
    - software_inventory
    - network_topology
    - security_settings
  update_frequency: annually
  change_control_required: true

# CM-6: Configuration Settings
security_configurations:
  operating_systems:
    - CIS Benchmarks
    - DISA STIGs
  containers:
    - CIS Docker Benchmark
    - Kubernetes Security Best Practices
  cloud:
    - CIS AWS Foundations
    - CIS Azure Foundations

Incident Response (IR)

# IR-4: Incident Handling
incident_handling:
  phases:
    - preparation
    - detection_and_analysis
    - containment
    - eradication
    - recovery
    - post_incident_activity

  severity_levels:
    critical:
      response_time: 15_minutes
      notification: security_team, management, fedramp_pmo
    high:
      response_time: 1_hour
      notification: security_team, management
    medium:
      response_time: 4_hours
      notification: security_team
    low:
      response_time: 24_hours
      notification: security_team

  reporting:
    us_cert: within_1_hour_for_incidents
    fedramp_pmo: significant_incidents

Continuous Monitoring

ConMon Requirements

POA&M Management

┌─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┐
│                   PLAN OF ACTION AND MILESTONES (POA&M)                      │
├─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┤
│ ID     │ Control │ Weakness              │ Risk │ Due Date   │ Status      │
├────────┼─────────┼───────────────────────┼──────┼────────────┼─────────────┤
│ POA-001│ AC-2    │ No automated account  │ Med  │ 2024-03-01 │ In Progress │
│        │         │ review process        │      │            │             │
├────────┼─────────┼───────────────────────┼──────┼────────────┼─────────────┤
│ POA-002│ AU-6    │ Incomplete log        │ High │ 2024-02-15 │ In Progress │
│        │         │ retention             │      │            │             │
├────────┼─────────┼───────────────────────┼──────┼────────────┼─────────────┤
│ POA-003│ CM-6    │ Missing CIS benchmark │ Low  │ 2024-04-01 │ Planned     │
│        │         │ for new servers       │      │            │             │
└─────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────────┘

Documentation Requirements

System Security Plan (SSP)

The SSP must document:

Security Assessment Report (SAR)

Implementation Checklist

Preparation Phase

• ☐ Determine impact level (Low/Moderate/High)
• ☐ Select authorization path (JAB/Agency)
• ☐ Identify FedRAMP PMO liaison
• ☐ Engage 3PAO (Third Party Assessment Organization)

Documentation Phase

• ☐ Complete System Security Plan (SSP)
• ☐ Document all control implementations
• ☐ Create network diagrams
• ☐ Document data flows
• ☐ Prepare security policies

Assessment Phase

• ☐ Complete security control assessment
• ☐ Conduct penetration testing
• ☐ Perform vulnerability scanning
• ☐ Complete Security Assessment Report (SAR)
• ☐ Develop POA&M for findings

Authorization Phase

• ☐ Submit authorization package
• ☐ Address PMO feedback
• ☐ Obtain authorization decision
• ☐ Achieve ATO or P-ATO

Continuous Monitoring Phase

• ☐ Implement ConMon procedures
• ☐ Conduct monthly vulnerability scans
• ☐ Submit monthly ConMon reports
• ☐ Update POA&M monthly
• ☐ Conduct annual assessments

Best Practices

Do

• Start documentation early
• Automate security controls where possible
• Maintain accurate system inventory
• Train personnel on FedRAMP requirements
• Engage experienced 3PAO
• Build continuous monitoring into operations

Don't

• Underestimate documentation effort
• Wait until assessment to implement controls
• Ignore POA&M timelines
• Miss monthly ConMon submissions
• Assume cloud provider handles all controls
• Skip security awareness training

Related Resources

• Guidelines Overview
• Security
• HIPAA Guidelines
• FedRAMP.gov
• NIST 800-53

Compliance

This section fulfills ISO 13485 requirements for regulatory requirements (4.1.1) and documentation control (4.2.4), and ISO 27001 requirements for information security policies (A.5.1), access control (A.5.15), incident management (A.5.24), and compliance with legal requirements (A.5.31).

View full compliance matrix