Three Ways FedRAMP Authorization Enables Compliance with EO 14028

Security, cost, and scale have always been critical to the technical teams responsible for implementing enterprise-grade software within their organizations. But for federal agencies that rely on tools that touch highly sensitive data—for example, blockchain intelligence—these criteria are more than boxes to check: they’re mission-critical. 

Executive Order 14028 (EO 14028) has further increased the pressure on US federal agencies to comprehensively vet the vendors they work with, and requires that all products used by the federal government must be FedRAMP compliant. In a previous post, we explored the foundations of FedRAMP authorization, why it matters to federal agencies, and the steps TRM Labs is taking to achieve FedRAMP High authorization this year. Now, let’s take a closer look at the key benefits agencies reap by choosing FedRAMP compliant products and services, and how this helps them achieve compliance with EO 14028.

1. Enhance security posture and reduce risk

EO 14028 stresses the importance of improving cybersecurity measures and reducing vulnerabilities in federal systems. FedRAMP compliance ensures that service providers meet the same security standards outlined in the order—including undergoing thorough security assessments and successfully meeting anywhere between 125 to 425 unique controls, depending on their level of authorization (Low, Moderate, or High).

The executive order also calls for the adoption of Zero Trust Architecture, which requires rigorous security controls and continuous validation of compliance. Because FedRAMP authorized vendors already undergo rigorous assessments and ongoing monitoring to manage and mitigate security risks on their platforms, they are—by default—compliant with Zero Trust principles. This means that technical and security teams can reduce the amount of time and resources they spend on secondary investigations—used to determine whether providers are adhering to risk-based approaches—and more time on high-value, strategic work.

2. Simplify and reduce compliance management costs

By mandating the use of FedRAMP-compliant solutions, EO 14028 helps agencies streamline their approach to onboarding new vendors and maintaining systems compliance. Thanks to FedRAMP’s standardized framework for assessing the security of prospective and current vendors, technical teams can follow the same “playbook” for assessing every tool in their tech stack. In other words, all providers are measured with the same criteria across all federal agencies, thanks to FedRAMP’s universally accepted levels of authorization.

Working with FedRAMP-authorized providers can also yield massive cost savings through economies of scale—particularly if solutions are leveraged across multiple different federal agencies. And because FedRAMP-compliant providers must inherently have best-in-class security features and ongoing monitoring protocols in place, technical and IT teams can dramatically reduce their spend on supplementary security checks and costly third-party compliance audits over time.

3. Accelerate procurement and implementation at scale

FedRAMP authorized vendors already undergo rigorous security assessments to meet federal security standards. Federal agencies can leverage existing FedRAMP authorizations to quickly onboard and implement software services without needing to conduct separate security assessments—expediting both the procurement and renewal processes.

FedRAMP’s standardized security framework also makes it easier for federal agencies to integrate and scale solutions across various different departments and functions. The uniformity inherent in FedRAMP authorization requirements simplifies how technical teams manage multiple services within a given agency’s environment. Plus, FedRAMP-compliant solutions are designed to work well within the greater federal IT ecosystem—which can ease the integration of new services and make it simpler to make large-scale changes without significant interruption.

To learn more about TRM’s journey to achieving FedRAMP authorization, check out this press release. Or to learn more about the different levels of FedRAMP authorization, read this blog.

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