Overview: Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP)

Quick Definition

A Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program is a U.S. government-wide program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. FedRAMP establishes mandatory cybersecurity requirements that cloud service providers must meet before federal agencies can use their services, creating a "do once, use many times" framework that eliminates redundant agency assessments.

The program operates through several authorization pathways, including Provisional Authorizations to Operate (P-ATOs) issued by the Joint Authorization Board, agency-sponsored authorizations, and the FedRAMP Marketplace for lower-risk applications. Cloud providers must demonstrate compliance with specific security controls based on NIST guidelines and undergo rigorous third-party assessments.

FedRAMP significantly reduces costs and timeframes for cloud adoption across government while maintaining strong security standards. Rather than each agency conducting separate security reviews of the same cloud service—a process that could take months or years—agencies can leverage existing FedRAMP authorizations. The program also requires continuous monitoring to ensure ongoing compliance, with cloud service providers submitting monthly security assessments and promptly reporting any security incidents or changes to their systems.