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    CybersecurityConnected & Cyber-Physical DevicesFedRAMP

    FedRAMP

    U.S. government-wide program that standardizes security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud services sold to federal agencies.

    Reviewed by Christian Espinosa, Founder, Blue Goat CyberLast reviewed June 20, 2026

    Definition

    FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) is the U.S. federal government's standardized approach for assessing and authorizing cloud services. Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) work with a Third Party Assessment Organization (3PAO) to evaluate a defined set of NIST SP 800-53 controls (tailored to the FedRAMP Low, Moderate, or High baseline) and receive an Authorization to Operate (ATO) from either an individual agency or the Joint Authorization Board. Once authorized, a CSP's package can be reused by other agencies, a 'do once, use many times' model.
    What the regulation says
    Required by OMB policy for federal agency use of cloud services. Aligned with FISMA. FedRAMP control baselines are derived from NIST SP 800-53; the program is jointly operated by GSA, DoD, DHS, and OMB.

    What this means in practice

    For MedTech, FedRAMP becomes relevant when selling cloud-hosted SaMD, AI/ML platforms, RPM services, or clinical trial software to the VA, IHS, DoD/MHS (Military Health System), or any HHS agency. The VA and DoD increasingly require FedRAMP Moderate as a baseline for any cloud service handling veteran or service member health data. Even private-sector hospitals are starting to reference FedRAMP Moderate as a credibility marker for cloud-hosted device backends.
    Common pitfalls
    • •Sponsoring an ATO with a single agency when you actually need a Joint Authorization Board (JAB) Provisional ATO for broad federal reuse.
    • •Assuming FedRAMP Low is sufficient for health data, VA and MHS deployments typically require Moderate or High.
    • •Underestimating continuous monitoring, monthly POA&Ms, annual assessments, and significant-change reauthorization are non-negotiable.

    Primary references

    3 sources
    Link health: 3 verified· last checked 2026-06-20
    GSA·2CISA·1
    1. 1
      FedRAMP
      Verified
      GSAfedramp.gov
    2. 2
      FedRAMP Marketplace
      Verified
      GSAmarketplace.fedramp.gov
    3. 3
      CISA - Healthcare and Public Health Sector
      Verified
      CISAcisa.gov

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