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FedRAMP

Threat NG Staff

FedRAMP stands for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program. It's a US government-wide program with a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services.

Consider it a rigorous security checklist that cloud service providers (CSPs) must pass to be authorized to work with federal agencies. It ensures that sensitive government information remains secure in the cloud.

Here's a breakdown of what FedRAMP does:

  • Standardizes security: It creates a consistent set of security standards for all cloud services used by the government.

  • Assesses risk: It evaluates the risk level associated with a cloud service based on the sensitivity of the data it handles.

  • Authorizes providers: It grants an "authorization to operate" (ATO) to CSPs that meet its requirements.

  • Monitors continuously: Continuous monitoring of cloud services is required to ensure they maintain security standards.

FedRAMP aims to:

  • Accelerate the federal agencies' adoption of secure cloud solutions.

  • Increase confidence in the security of cloud services.

  • Reduce inconsistencies and duplication of effort in security assessments.

FedRAMP is a crucial framework for ensuring the secure adoption of cloud technologies across the US federal government.

ThreatNG's comprehensive suite of security solutions can significantly aid in achieving and maintaining FedRAMP compliance. Here's how it addresses the core aspects of FedRAMP and works with complementary solutions:

1. Standardizing Security:

  • Policy Management: This feature allows organizations to customize risk configurations and scoring to align with FedRAMP's security standards. Its pre-built policy templates can be used as a starting point for establishing a FedRAMP-compliant security posture.

  • Complementary Solutions: ThreatNG can integrate with GRC (Governance, Risk, and Compliance) platforms to further streamline compliance efforts. These platforms can provide a centralized view of compliance requirements, automate policy enforcement, and track remediation activities.

2. Assessing Risk:

  • Discovery and Assessment Capabilities: These help identify and assess various risks, including vulnerabilities, phishing susceptibility, ransomware susceptibility, and data leakage. This information is crucial for determining the risk level associated with a cloud service.

  • Complementary Solutions: ThreatNG can integrate with vulnerability scanners and penetration testing tools to provide a more comprehensive view of security risks. These tools can identify and exploit vulnerabilities that may not be detectable through external attack surface management alone.

3. Authorizing Providers:

  • Reporting Capabilities: The platform's diverse reporting options (Executive, Technical, Prioritized) can generate comprehensive reports demonstrating compliance with FedRAMP requirements. These reports can be shared with authorizing officials to support the authorization process.

  • Complementary Solutions: ThreatNG can integrate with security information and event management (SIEM) systems to provide real-time monitoring and alerting on security events. It can help organizations demonstrate their ability to detect and respond to security incidents, an essential requirement for FedRAMP authorization.

4. Continuous Monitoring:

  • Continuous Monitoring: This feature enables ongoing monitoring of the organization's attack surface and security posture. It helps ensure that compliance with FedRAMP is maintained over time.

  • Complementary Solutions: ThreatNG can integrate with cloud security posture management (CSPM) tools to continuously monitor cloud environments for configuration errors and compliance violations. It helps organizations proactively address potential security risks and maintain a strong security posture.

Examples with Investigation Modules:

  • Domain Intelligence: Identifying vulnerabilities in DNS records (e.g., missing DMARC, SPF, or DKIM) can help address the "SI-4: Information System Monitoring" control by highlighting potential email spoofing and phishing risks.

  • Social Media: Monitoring social media for mentions of data leaks or security incidents related to the organization can help address the "IR-4: Incident Handling" control by providing early warning of potential security breaches.

  • Sensitive Code Exposure: Identifying exposed API keys in public code repositories can help address the "IA-2: Identification and Authentication" control by highlighting access control and credential management weaknesses.

  • Cloud and SaaS Exposure: Discovering unsanctioned cloud services or open cloud buckets can help address the "AC-2: Account Management" and "SA-3: Access Enforcement" controls by highlighting shadow IT risks and inadequate access controls.

By combining ThreatNG's capabilities with complementary security solutions, organizations can establish a robust security framework that aligns with FedRAMP requirements, facilitates authorization, and ensures ongoing compliance. This holistic approach enables organizations to effectively protect sensitive data in the cloud and maintain the trust of federal agencies.