5 Costly Mistakes to Avoid When Pursuing FedRAMP Authorization: A Complete Guide for Small Businesses
January 17, 2025
FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) authorization is crucial for companies offering cloud-hosted products that want to partner with the federal government or handle sensitive government data. However, the path to achieving FedRAMP compliance can be complex and challenging, often leading to wasted time, money, and effort due to common mistakes. Whether you’re just starting your FedRAMP journey or looking to optimize your existing process, this guide will help you avoid the top five mistakes that can hinder your progress and ensure a smoother, more successful authorization experience.
In this blog post, we’ll cover the most common pitfalls when pursuing FedRAMP and provide actionable solutions to help you stay on track. By understanding these mistakes and taking proactive measures, you can speed up the process, reduce costs, and achieve successful authorization.
Mistake #1: Not Defining a Clear Authorization Boundary
Defining your system’s authorization boundary is one of the most critical steps in the FedRAMP process. However, many companies fail to get this right. They either include too much or not enough, leading to unnecessary complexity and higher costs.
Why This Is a Problem:
Including irrelevant system components or missing critical ones can result in more controls to implement, causing delays and increased costs.
Solution:
Work closely with your team to clearly define your system’s boundaåry. Map out system components, connections, and data flows while keeping it as simple as possible. This step will help you minimize complexity and streamline your FedRAMP process.
Tip: Be sure to focus on the most critical components that are directly involved in handling sensitive government data.
Mistake #2: Underestimating the Time and Effort Required
Many companies mistakenly think that achieving FedRAMP authorization is a quick process. The reality? It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Underestimating the time and effort can lead to missed deadlines, incomplete documentation, and wasted resources.
Why This Is a Problem:
A rushed approach leads to poor planning and errors, ultimately delaying your FedRAMP process.
Solution:
Plan for at least 12-18 months to achieve FedRAMP authorization. Build a realistic timeline with clear milestones and allocate resources properly. By properly setting expectations upfront, you can avoid stress and unnecessary setbacks.
Tip: Factor in unexpected challenges and have contingency plans in place to handle them smoothly.
Mistake #3: Not Allocating Enough Resources
Successful FedRAMP compliance requires a significant investment of time, budget, and expertise. Many companies fail to allocate sufficient resources, which leads to incomplete documentation and delays.
Why This Is a Problem:
A lack of dedicated resources can result in poor documentation, security gaps, and the inability to meet deadlines.
Solution:
Treat FedRAMP as a long-term investment. Allocate the necessary budget, assign a dedicated team, and use tools that streamline the process. Consider working with FedRAMP consultants to fill in gaps if you lack in-house expertise.
Tip: Invest in project management tools and resources that can automate parts of the process, reducing manual effort.
Mistake #4: Failing to Conduct a Thorough Self-Assessment
Skipping or rushing through your self-assessment is like walking into an exam without studying. It’s a critical step to identify gaps in your security posture before the formal audit begins.
Why This Is a Problem:
Rushed self-assessments lead to gaps in your System Security Plan (SSP), which will later be identified by your Third-Party Assessment Organization (3PAO), resulting in delays.
Solution:
Use the FedRAMP SSP templates to conduct a thorough self-assessment or contact us for a free FedRAMP checklist. Identify any gaps early so that you can address them before engaging with a 3PAO. This proactive step will save you time and avoid costly rework.
Tip: Conduct internal audits and review all FedRAMP controls thoroughly to ensure full compliance before submitting your SSP.
Mistake #5: Failing to Understand the Shared Responsibility Model
Cloud security is shared between the organization and the cloud provider. Many companies fail to understand this division of responsibilities, which leads to security gaps and compliance issues.
Why This Is a Problem:
Assuming your cloud provider handles all security measures can leave your organization responsible for unsecured applications and data, exposing you to risk.
Solution:
Familiarize yourself with the shared responsibility model for your cloud platform (e.g., AWS, Azure, or Google Cloud). Clearly define your organization’s security responsibilities and ensure they are documented and understood by your team.
Tip: Regularly audit your cloud services to ensure they align with your security requirements and FedRAMP controls.
Bonus Tips for Fast-Tracking Your FedRAMP Success
- Tip 1: Use Already Authorized Platforms
Outsource as much as possible, and leverage platform as a service (PaaS) instead of infrastructure as a service (IaaS) that are already FedRAMP authorized, such as AWS PaaS, Azure PaaS, Google Cloud PaaS, Rackspace or Salesforce. These platforms have built-in security measures that can reduce your compliance burden, this way you are only responsible for the security of your application. - Tip 2: Work with FedRAMP Experts
Leverage FedRAMP consultants to guide you through the process. Their expertise can save you time, help you avoid common mistakes, and ensure your approach aligns with FedRAMP’s strict requirements. - Tip 3: Document Everything
Not only do you need thorough documentation like policies, procedures, and plans, but you also need to start documenting relevant actions you take throughout the process. This includes any changes in the environment, risk assessments you conduct, or requests for changes. Start building your body of evidence early in the process. This will help you avoid scrambling to find documentation when it’s needed during your audit or evaluation.
Avoiding these five mistakes—defining a clear boundary, planning realistically, allocating enough resources, conducting a self-assessment, and understanding the shared responsibility model—will save you time, money, and headaches in your FedRAMP journey.
Are you ready to start your FedRAMP journey? Contact us to get personalized support. Let’s make FedRAMP a success for your business!