The Internal Revenue Service is one of the largest and most essential federal government agencies… which means that there is a lot of opportunity for third-party contractors and managed service providers to offer products to support its mission. It also means that these contractors will be expected to adhere to security standards, specifically those outlined in IRS 1075.
Fortunately, IRS 1075 is aligned with other federal standards, all of which provide a sound security footing and potential to pivot services to other government agencies. Here, we’ll discuss some overlap between IRS 1075 and federal standards, specifically those related to the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).
Are We Already Talking About CMMC 3.0?
The ink has barely dried on the CMMC final rule, and already the defense contracting community is buzzing with speculation about what comes next. Just when contractors thought they had a moment to catch their breath after years of regulatory limbo, whispers of CMMC 3.0 have begun circulating through the industry. But is this just...Continue reading→
Developing Key Risk Indicators in GRC
Organizations in regulated industries can’t just meet security standards; they need to predict them one, three, or five years down the road. The ability to predict, measure, and manage risks is becoming a core competency, and Key Risk Indicators are foundational to this effort. Key Risk Indicators, when properly developed, empower organizations to move from...Continue reading→
Interpreting Requirements and Controls in CMMC
CMMC has fundamentally transformed the landscape for defense contractors operating within the DIB. With mandatory compliance deadlines looming and contract requirements becoming increasingly stringent, organizations can no longer afford to treat cybersecurity as an afterthought. Yet for many contractors, the path to CMMC Level 2 compliance remains fraught with challenges that extend far beyond simple...Continue reading→
How CMMC Impacts Subcontractors and Supply Chain Risk
While most of the focus of CMMC is on primary contractors, subcontractors (especially small and mid-sized firms) play an equally critical role in ensuring information security across the supply chain. As such, they are increasingly in the spotlight, both in terms of compliance requirements and as focal points for supply chain risk. However, their smaller...Continue reading→
Startups in CMMC: Scaling Compliance Without Enterprise Resources
For startups in the defense sector, CMMC is a double-edged sword. On the one hand, working in the DIB is a massive opportunity for most startups. Conversely, the costs and complexity of compliance can overwhelm lean teams with limited resources. This is why startups increasingly turn to CSPs and MSPs to achieve CMMC compliance without...Continue reading→
Navigating BYOD Workplaces and Federal Security Requirements: Challenges and Solutions
We’re well into the era of “hybrid,” where many tech and office jobs are managed from the comfort of our employees’ homes alongside elective trips to the office. This approach to work is often much more convenient and flexible than on-site work (when possible), but it introduces its own set of challenges, specifically around security. Hybrid...Continue reading→
The Evolution of FedRAMP in 2024
2024 has been a watershed year for FedRAMP, ushering in significant structural, procedural, and technological advancements to the program meant to streamline authorization and make bringing cloud products to federal agencies easier. From new governance to new paths to authorization, we’re recapping FedRAMP’s changes in 2024.
FedRAMP Agile Delivery Pilot: Redefining Cloud Security and Compliance
FedRAMP has been a cornerstone of cloud adoption in the federal sector, ensuring that cloud service providers meet rigorous security standards. However, as digital transformation accelerates and government agencies seek faster adoption of innovative solutions, traditional compliance methods have proven time-consuming and resource-intensive. To address these challenges, FedRAMP has introduced the Agile Delivery Pilot, a...Continue reading→
What Is the Shared Responsibility Model?
Cloud environments are now the common foundation of most IT and app deployments, and the extended use of public cloud infrastructure means that many companies rely on shared systems to manage their data, applications, and computing resources. While public cloud computing is a cost-effective way to support these kinds of deployments, it also adds several...Continue reading→
The Role of Container Security in Maintaining FedRAMP Compliance for Cloud Services
As federal agencies increasingly adopt cloud-native applications, containerized environments have become essential for deploying and scaling applications efficiently. Containers allow developers to package applications with all dependencies in isolated, consistent environments that run across multiple platforms, making them a popular choice for cloud service providers. However, this rise in container use also introduces unique security...Continue reading→