Cloud technology is growing at a rapid rate and countless organizations are leveraging this technology to improve their business operations. Unfortunately, advancements in technology come with certain risks that could impact a company’s reputation, finances, operations and mission. For government agencies, these risks can be especially concerning due to the large amount of confidential information that is stored, accessed and transmitted using the cloud. In response to these concerns, the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) was created.
The FedRAMP is a compliance program established by the United States government that creates a baseline for cloud-based products and services, and businesses approach towards security assessment, authorization and continuous monitoring. The FedRAMP is governed by the Federal Chief Information Officers (CIO) Council, Office of Management and Budget (OMB), the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA), U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) and the National Institutes of Standards & Technology (NIST).
FedRAMP High Impact Level
There are three impact levels that fall under the FedRAMP: low, moderate and high. The level of impact refers to the intensity of a potential impact that could arise if an information system should become jeopardized. Low impact is the most basic level and encompasses data intended for public use. On the other end of the spectrum is the high impact level which mostly includes data that is sensitive federal information, such as emergency services, law environment and healthcare data. A breach to any government system that contains this type of confidential information could be catastrophic.
These standards are used by cloud service providers to act as baseline levels to ensure that their cloud-based goods and services continue to meet the security requirements that are necessary to safely and securely store, process and transmit information. Businesses must properly align their cloud service offerings to an impact level that is appropriate to their needs.
Each level contains a different number of controls, some more complex than others. Low-level systems have a total of 125 controls, while moderate level systems have 325 controls. Since high-level systems are the most complex, they have the most number of controls at 421. This high-level security baseline was first released in June 2016. Prior to this release, federal agencies were forced to choose between low-level and moderate-level cloud operations when outsourcing to cloud service providers. With the release of the high impact level, federal agencies can choose a cloud service provider that is FedRAMP compliant at any level that they see fit.
Inquire About Our FedRAMP High Impact Level Compliance Services
Federal agencies often rely on FedRAMP high impact level standards to protect their most sensitive and unclassified data in cloud computing environments. This higher baseline level enables agencies to use cloud goods and services for a wide range of high impact data, including information that may involve financial ruin and the protection of life. To learn more about FedRAMP high impact level compliance or to speak with an experienced IT security compliance expert, reach out to the professionals at SeaGlass Technology online or call at (212) 886- 0790 today.