Depending on your circumstances, your business must comply with various regulations to sell to the US government. Achieving compliance for Federal contracts can be tricky, and understanding the government acronyms all the more confusing. In previous posts, we have discussed what FedRAMP and CMMC are, and how to obtain certification. Today, we’ll dive into the differences between FedRAMP and CMMC.

When do you need to have your FedRAMP ATO?

The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is required for any cloud service provider (CSP) looking to sell to any government agency (i.e., Adobe, Cofense, DocuSign, etc.). Having your authorization to operate (ATO) means your cloud program will be listed on the FedRAMP marketplace, and government agencies can quickly search online for your product.

The FedRAMP program is essential because it ensures consistency in the assessment, monitoring, and security of the cloud services used by the US government. Additionally, it creates a unified set of requirements for all government agencies and CSPs.

When do you need to be CMMC compliant?

The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) has been in the works for a couple years. With multiple iterations thus far, it will “soon” be required for the Defense Industrial Base (DIB) sector and the Department of Defense (DOD) supply chain contractors.

The certification program includes training, a third party assessment, and aims to measure the maturity of an organization’s cybersecurity processes, as well as demonstrate compliance with the protection of Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) and Federal Contract Information (FCI).

How are the two related?

According to the Federal News Network, “the Pentagon’s internal cybersecurity auditors are already giving companies credit for using services provided under FedRAMP, but the DoD still needs to iron out similar reciprocity details with the Cyber Accreditation Body.”

If reciprocity materializes, CMMC will eventually use at least portions of FedRAMP regulations to facilitate accreditation. By doing this, it would be possible to lower the cost of the FedRAMP Low authorization. This would encourage more SaaS companies to pursue their ATO and raise supply chain security. As contractors migrate to the cloud, aligning requirements will foster automation, and speed to authorization, and make the lives of auditors much easier.

Still want to know more about the differences between the two? Talk to our experts to see what path could be the better option for your organization.