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FedRAMP® 3PAO Assessment Services
Achieve FedRAMP ATO to access new markets
Demonstrate CSP FedRAMP authorization
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An experienced partner can streamline your ATO
FedRAMP empowers agencies to confidently use modern cloud technologies, emphasizing security and the protection of federal information. Achieving a FedRAMP authorization is challenging, costly, and time consuming due to the rigorous security standards, extensive documentation, thorough third-party assessments, requiring a notable financial and time investment and federal agency sponsorship. Coalfire®, a market leader as a FedRAMP Third Party Assessment Organization (3PAO), provides expert-led services including security control assessments, vulnerability scans, and penetration testing to help Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) successfully expand into federal markets.
FedRAMP 3PAO Assessment Services
FedRAMP Readiness Assessment
The Coalfire assessment team conducts an in-depth review of the authorization boundary to ensure accurate representation of all external services, interconnections, and data flows.
This process includes the validation of federal mandates and requirements, along with the definition of capability information within the Readiness Assessment Report (RAR) template. The RAR includes a detailed executive summary that highlights notable strengths and weaknesses, control implementations, and the overall maturity of the information system.
FedRAMP Initial Assessment
The Coalfire assessment team creates a Security Assessment Plan (SAP) that outlines how the assessment will be conducted and the timeline for key milestones.
The initial assessment process covers all baseline security controls for the system’s security impact level. The assessment includes technical interviews to validate control implementations and identifying any risks discovered through manual control testing, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing.
The team produces a comprehensive Security Assessment Report (SAR) that details any identified risks, the impact of the risks on the information system, and the necessary remediation activities to reduce or mitigate the risks.
Submission to Obtain an ATO
The Coalfire team performs all testing in accordance with the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) Special Publication (SP) 800-53 Revision 5, Security and Privacy Controls for Information Systems and Organizations.
Coalfire documents the results in a SAR. Once the SAR is completed, Coalfire submits it to the agency sponsor and the FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO) for their review and to obtain an ATO. Throughout the sponsor and PMO package review process, the reviewer requests additional information to clarify testing activities, remediation steps, and insights on any gaps noted.
FedRAMP Annual Assessment
Assistance is provided for preparation of the annual assessment prior to the ATO deadline.
The annual assessment process includes the assessment of approximately one-third of the required security controls, plus any additional controls required by the agency sponsor or FedRAMP PMO. The assessment includes manual control testing, vulnerability scanning, and penetration testing.
Maintaining an ATO
To maintain a FedRAMP ATO, CSPs should monitor security control environment, assess it on a regular basis, and demonstrate that service offering’s security posture is continuously acceptable.
Ongoing assessment to maintain authorization provides federal agencies using cloud services with a method for detecting changes to the system’s security posture and making risk-based decisions.
Additional Federal Assessments
Coalfire can help you with the following assessments as individual assessments or in tandem with FedRAMP assessments:
Department of Defense Risk Management Framework (DoD RMF): Our DoD RMF certification and accreditation service assesses your information systems to DoD RMF standards.
NIST SP 800-53 assessment: Assess, test, and review your information systems with our in-depth testing and assessment capabilities.
International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and Export Administration Regulations (EAR): Our ITAR and EAR assessment services help you navigate the cybersecurity aspect of the export control compliance process.
NIST SP 800-171 assessment: We provide assessment services designed to help you navigate the compliance process for the FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulation) and DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement) cybersecurity contract obligations. We also assess security controls and contract obligation compliance and ensure continuous compliance monitoring for providers that store, process and transmit Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI).
Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA)’s Electronic Prescriptions for Controlled Substances(EPCS): Every two years, providers and pharmacies must undergo a third-party audit of their electronic prescription or pharmacy management applications to achieve DEA EPCS certification. Rely on our auditing program for your EPCS assessment and certification.
FedRAMP Pen Testing
Coalfire leads the industry in cybersecurity by excelling in both FedRAMP penetration testing of all six attack vectors (external to corporate, external to CSP target system, tenant to CSP management system, tenant to tenant, mobile application to target system, and client-side application and/or agents to target system) and in the advanced red team assessments now required by FedRAMP Revision 5.
We are renowned for our expert ability to rigorously evaluate and strengthen systems against a wide range of potential vulnerabilities, meeting FedRAMP’s stringent standards.
Coalfire’s comprehensive approach to red teaming involves simulating sophisticated adversarial attacks to uncover and address hidden weaknesses, ensuring that our clients' defenses are robust and resilient. By combining meticulous penetration testing with dynamic red team operations, we not only help our clients achieve and maintain federal compliance but also significantly enhance their overall cybersecurity posture, reinforcing our position as a leader in the field.
We help CSPs accelerate their FedRAMP ATO
People + Tech
The Coalfire FedRAMP portfolio is supported by experienced audit and assessment teams, ensuring compliance and control interpretation for hundreds of major cloud service providers.
700+ CSPs work with Coalfire
75% of all FedRAMP authorizations are from Coalfire
People
Our FedRAMP certified auditors and penetration testers are active contributors to the 3PAO Special Interest Group, key FedRAMP PMO initiatives, and the American Council for Technology and Industry Advisory Council (ACT-IAC) FedRAMP working group.
Platform
We can help you coordinate assessments across more than 75+ compliance frameworks using our Compliance Essentials compliance automation platform.
Outcome
Expand your presence in the security-first federal marketplace by working with a 3PAO market leader and a platform for compliance automation.
Frequently asked questions
What is FedRAMP authorization?
Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) must obtain FedRAMPauthorization to sell their cloud service offering (CSO) directly to federal agencies and to allow other CSPs within the FedRAMP marketplace to leverage their CSO.
How can I reduce FedRAMP authorization costs?
Achieving a FedRAMP authorization is challenging, costly, time-consuming and typically takes 12–18 months or longer. Coalfire has a portfolio of FedRAMP services that can help you achieve FedRAMP ATO in less than 6 months.
What is my FedRAMP return on investment (ROI)?
While every CSP is different, we have seen clients achieve revenue anywhere from three to ten times their initial investment in a FedRAMP-compliant environment within their first year of being FedRAMP Authorized.
Can Coalfire help me get an agency sponsor?
Coalfire cannot help you find an agency sponsor. However, we can help your agency prospects and federal sales team understand the FedRAMP process and the agency’s level of effort in authorizing your service.
We can also help you establish a solid relationship with the FedRAMP Program Management Office (PMO). We recommend establishing an experienced federal sales team that can help you understand how to build a pipeline of potential agency customers, understand your competition, define your differentiators in the FedRAMP marketplace, and navigate the complex federal contracting process.
These steps are critical to finding an agency sponsor.