Today, the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) issued guidance to make it easier and faster for government agencies to use modern cloud technology. In 2011, OMB created the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) with a critical mission: to enable agencies to use cloud services safely and reliably. Today, we are proud to announce new guidance that will significantly bolster FedRAMP’s role as a cornerstone of federal cloud security.  This overhaul of FedRAMP will enable better, and more secure government services – so we can better serve the American public.

In the years since FedRAMP’s creation, the cloud marketplace has grown exponentially as technology has continued to evolve. Now, there is a cloud solution for almost everything – from empowering healthcare research to managing complex logistics operations to coordinating emergency response efforts. This guidance responds to these changes, and will help agencies safely adopt the latest and best cloud technologies faster in order to better serve the public while keeping your information safe and secure. 

Focusing on Essential and Efficient Security: By setting clear priorities, this FedRAMP guidance enables the cloud industry to improve their products’ security meaningfully and efficiently to meet the Federal Government’s cybersecurity standards. With secure tools, the government can better protect itself against cyber threats.

Making Cloud Use Easier and Safer for Agencies: Once a cloud service is FedRAMP authorized, any agency can use it without starting the security assessment process again –saving time and money. To make this process even smoother, FedRAMP is piloting use cases, identifying new partners and processes that can safely speed up the security assessment process. To further speed up the process to evaluate the security of cloud products, FedRAMP will also increase use of automation in order to reduce the time between when an agency identifies cloud services it needs and the time it can start using safe services.

Strengthening FedRAMP Governance: In May of 2024, OMB appointed the initial FedRAMP Board and created the FedRAMP Technical Advisory Group (TAG). The FedRAMP Board and TAG, along with the Federal Secure Cloud Advisory Committee (FSCAC) established by Congress in 2022, combine executive, technical, and industry expertise that will strengthen the FedRAMP program, ensure security standards are up to date, increase transparency, and make it easier for agencies to take full advantage of cloud services.

These reforms are starting to translate into more products that serve the American people.

By using FedRAMP authorized solutions, agencies are able to leverage better tools to execute their missions on behalf of the American people. Agencies can confidently adopt these cloud technologies knowing they meet rigorous security standards, protecting sensitive government data. Here are the stories of some recently authorized FedRAMP products:      

  • Accelerating the Pace of Scientific Discovery in Cancer Research: The National Cancer Institute is using a cloud-based bioinformatics platform designed specifically for cancer researchers.  As cancer research continues to advance and generate ever-increasing volumes of data, this platform serves as a powerful tool for storing, analyzing, and sharing cancer research data. Scientists from around the world are able to collaborate more effectively and share findings, ultimately driving scientific progress.
  • Supporting Seamless and Uninterrupted Care to Veterans:  The Department of Veterans Affairs is using a cloud-based solution to provide cutting edge provider-patient collaboration with seamless management of critical Veteran Data while enabling real-time collaboration both internally and externally. The tool provides advanced encryption, data retention policies, and administrative controls that restrict access to only approved user. This enterprise content management platform allows VA to collaborate with researchers around the nation, allows for community care patients to share records seamlessly and safely, and with integration provides an uninterrupted support for our Veterans with their care.  
  • Improving Public Health Outcomes: The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) is using a cloud-based platform for tracking, analyzing, and storing biological data to address our nation’s biggest health challenges. The platform serves as a centralized hub, allowing researchers to securely share and collaborate on datasets, fostering a more collaborative and efficient research environment. 

Learn more

Read the policy guidance: https://www.whitehouse.gov/wp-content/uploads/2024/07/M-24-15-Modernizing-the-Federal-Risk-and-Authorization-Management-Program.pdf

View the GSA FedRAMP Roadmap  

Questions? Contact ofcio@omb.eop.gov

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