By Chor-Ching Fan
As organizations chart their growth through government contracts and assess the cost of cybersecurity compliance initiatives, many wonder “what’s the the difference between CMMC and FedRAMP”? The Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) are two different compliance frameworks that organizations must follow if they want to work with the US government.
CMMC is a comprehensive framework designed to protect the defense industrial base’s (DIB) sensitive unclassified information. While it started with five levels of maturity, the latest version of the CMMC 2.0 framework includes 3 levels and tracks very closely with the NIST 800-171 control framework. All DoD contractors will need to achieve at least Level 1 (based on the sensitivity level of the information handled by the contractor) in order to keep and/or win new work with the DoD
FedRAMP is a cybersecurity framework that focuses on the security of cloud service providers (CSPs) doing business with the US federal government. There are two approaches to achieving FedRAMP Authorization, a provisional authorization through the Joint Authorization Board (JAB) or an authorization through a specific government agency sponsor. The JAB is the primary governing body for FedRAMP and includes representation from the Department of Defense (DoD), Department of Homeland Security (DHS), and General Services Administration (GSA). There are four different control baselines that support the different FedRAMP authorization impact levels.
| CMMC | FedRAMP | |
|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Assesses and enhance the cybersecurity maturity of all contractors working with the DoD | Focuses on the security of cloud service providers serving federal agencies |
| Certification/Authorization Levels | 3 | 4 |
| Minimum Level Required for Work Contracts | Level 1 (once CMMC is finalized) | Authorized at applicable impact level |
| Levels and Control Scope |
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| Applicability | Applies to all contractors that work with the DoD | Applies to cloud service providers (CSPs) that work with US government agencies |
CMMC vs FedRAMP
CSPs must achieve Authorized status in order to provide services to US government agencies. Soon, DoD contractors will need to achieve at least CMMC Level 1 status before winning new contracts.
In general, FedRAMP is a more comprehensive framework than CMMC. FedRAMP requires organizations to enhance process maturity and capabilities across a wider range of topics dealing with data, network, staff, physical building and vendor security. Here are additional considerations to keep in mind regarding CMMC and FedRAMP compliance:
- CMMC has been in development for the past few years and is now (2023) nearing finalization.
- FedRAMP is a mature framework (based on NIST 800-53) that has been in place for over a decade (2011). We view it as the high bar for cloud cybersecurity compliance.
- Both CMMC and FedRAMP are constantly evolving. The DoD, FedRAMP PMO and NIST are constantly updating the requirements to reflect the latest cybersecurity threats.
- Compliance with CMMC and FedRAMP can be a complex and expensive process, especially for SMBs. Rizkly helps SMBs consider their needs and regulatory requirements and offers an effective and efficient solution for achieving and sustaining improved cybersecurity posture and compliance.