The White House has issued a memo to federal agencies, urging them to improve their cybersecurity measures as they have fallen behind in implementing a significant executive order issued by President Joe Biden in 2021. This executive order outlines critical security practices to be followed, but as of June, various federal departments have not fully complied, leaving the US Government vulnerable to cyberattacks. The national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, expressed concern that this lack of compliance exposes the government to malicious cyber intrusions and sets a poor example for proper cybersecurity practices.
Cyberattacks targeting the US government remain a major concern, as evidenced by a suspected Chinese hacking campaign discovered in June that compromised the email accounts of the US ambassador to China and the secretary of commerce.
Owing to the scarcity of cybersecurity expertise in the market and the complexity of adhering to the executive order, certain government agencies opt to delegate these responsibilities to managed service partners (MSPs).
Project Hosts, a leading MSP with 34 FedRAMP ATOs, can address the concerns outlined above leveraging its Cloud Compliance Services and turnkey FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) offering:
- Implementing Executive Order Security Practices: Project Hosts can work closely with federal agencies to ensure that they implement the security practices outlined in the executive order. Project Hosts’ Compliance Services can provide agencies with comprehensive guidance and assistance in configuring their cloud environments to meet these security requirements. This includes setting up proper access controls, encryption, multi-factor authentication, and regular security assessments.
- Compliance Audits and Assessments: Federal agencies that have struggled with compliance can benefit from Project Hosts’ expertise in conducting compliance audits and assessments. Project Hosts’ Cloud Compliance Services can perform thorough audits of agencies’ cloud infrastructure to identify gaps and vulnerabilities. These assessments can help agencies identify areas that need improvement and provide actionable recommendations to achieve compliance with the executive order.
- FedRAMP Services for Enhanced Security: Project Hosts’ FedRAMP Services can play a crucial role in enhancing the security of federal agencies’ cloud environments. By leveraging Project Hosts’ FedRAMP authorized GSS One cloud platform, agencies can benefit from a pre-assessed and approved cloud environment that meets stringent security standards. This alleviates the burden of agencies having to build security controls from scratch, accelerating their compliance efforts.
- Customized Security Solutions: Each federal agency’s security needs are unique. Project Hosts can tailor their Cloud Compliance Services and FedRAMP Services to the specific requirements of different agencies. This customization ensures that agencies receive a solution that addresses their individual security concerns, aligns with their mission-critical operations, and meets the executive order’s guidelines effectively.
- Collaborative Planning and Training: To address the frustration highlighted above, Project Hosts can work closely with agencies to develop detailed implementation plans for the executive order’s security provisions. These plans can include timelines, milestones, and training programs to help agency staff implement best practices for maintaining strong cybersecurity measures within the cloud environment.
- Continuous Monitoring and Incident Response: Project Hosts’ cloud compliance and FedRAMP services extend beyond initial implementation. Project Hosts’ services can provide continuous monitoring of agencies’ cloud infrastructure, promptly detecting any unusual activities or security breaches. In the event of a cyber incident, Project Hosts’ incident response protocols can help agencies mitigate the impact and quickly recover.
- Demonstrating Compliance to Government Auditors: Federal agencies often undergo audits to ensure compliance with security standards. Project Hosts can assist agencies in preparing for these audits by providing comprehensive documentation of the security measures implemented, evidence of compliance, and reports from continuous monitoring efforts.
By offering these services, Project Hosts can play a vital role in helping federal agencies address cybersecurity concerns. Project Hosts’ expertise in cloud compliance and FedRAMP can empower agencies to enhance their cybersecurity practices, meet the requirements of the executive order, and contribute to a more secure government IT landscape.
