Stratus Cyber

Organizations pursuing FedRAMP authorization face several critical challenges that can disrupt their compliance journey. Continuous Monitoring becomes overwhelming for teams without prior experience. The operational overhead from vulnerability management, user access reviews, port and firewall reviews, and network access control creates significant demands on resources. System hardening against DISA STIG (Security Technical Implementation Guide) baselines requires careful implementation. Many organizations break application functionality while hardening. Smart automation can reduce these operational burdens, but teams need to implement these solutions early before manual processes become overwhelming.

Interested in AI Cloud Engineering? We're launching our Enterprise AI Tutorial Series with our first video about using Anthropic's Claude with Model Context Protocol (MCP) integrated with Turbot to create an AI Cloud Engineer. ?? You can ask Claude questions of your Live Cloud Infrastructure to -Understand Complex Architectures -Analyze Configurations and Dependencies -Identify Security Issues -Output Custom Reports and Narratives

Continuous Monitoring (ConMon) is the heartbeat of FedRAMP security. After working with many teams on FedRAMP Cloud Deployments, I want to share essential knowledge about this process. ConMon spans your entire tech stack, keeping watch over virtual machines, databases, containers, web applications, and containers. Your team needs to master vulnerability management by tracking and fixing security issues, with clear processes for handling necessary exceptions. Strong system hardening follows DISA STIG or CIS Level 2 benchmarks across all components. With modern auto-scaling environments, maintaining real-time asset tracking becomes crucial for compliance and reporting. Every month, your team packages this security data for sponsoring agency review. While this creates operational overhead, it proves your commitment to ongoing security excellence.

Interested in using AI to supercharge Cloud Engineering, Security Operations, and Compliance? Watch the first of many Tutorial Videos by our own AI SecOps Engineer Chi Duong. We showcase using Anthropic Claude AI connected to Turbot using Model Context Protocol. See how you can rapidly answer architecture, configuration, and security questions about complex cloud environments.

Interested in using AI to supercharge Cloud Engineering, Security Operations, and Compliance? Watch the first of many Tutorial Videos by our own AI SecOps Engineer Chi Duong. We showcase using Anthropic Claude AI connected to Turbot using Model Context Protocol. See how you can rapidly answer architecture, configuration, and security questions about complex cloud environments.

Many ask what makes or breaks FedRAMP authorization. Having guided numerous companies through this process, we know all the critical requirements. The scope is massive - 300+ controls for moderate and 400+ for high authorization. But certain elements can significantly hamper your authorization immediately: -FIPS Encryption: Your system and all components must use FIPS Validated modules -Service Dependencies: Using a cloud ticketing system? It needs FedRAMP authorization too. This ripples through your entire tech stack -Network Architecture: Recent requirements mandate specific setups like bastion hosts. Missing these can force late-stage redesigns -Vulnerability Management: High-severity issues need fixes in 30 days, moderate in 90 days. Missing these deadlines consistently? That's a showstopper

?? We just returned from the Cyberscoop Zero Trust Summit where the common theme was: Zero Trust isn't a destination, it's a journey. Through our experience implementing Zero Trust Architectures in FedRAMP Multi-Cloud environments, we understand the huge shift in how you have to think about modernizing enterprise architectures to align with ZTA principles. Some Key ZTA Documents and Dates: - CISA Zero Trust Maturity Model - April 2023 - OMB M-22-09 - Moving the U.S. Government Toward Zero Trust Cybersecurity Principles - January 2022 - Executive Order 14028?- May 2021 It has been several years since these key documents have been released, and as a GovCon, we are just now seeing the ZTA tooling and architectures being implemented across the agencies we work with. This makes FedRAMP's role increasingly important as agencies shift from traditional on-premise solutions to cloud platforms.?

Meeting FedRAMP requirements demands careful evaluation of security tools and services. The process starts with identifying FedRAMP-authorized solutions that match your budget and needs. While many vendors claim broad capabilities in vulnerability management, antivirus, and other areas, real-world effectiveness varies significantly. Practical security expertise helps identify tools that deliver genuine value without excess cost. Organizations with budget constraints have viable options. Strategic tool selection and implementation can achieve compliance while maintaining cost efficiency. The key lies in choosing focused solutions that meet requirements without unnecessary overhead.

Join us at the Zero Trust Summit on February 19th at the International Spy Museum in DC! As federal agencies navigate their zero trust journey, we're excited to connect and share insights on building secure multi-cloud architectures. At Stratus Cyber, we specialize in implementing Zero Trust architectures l across multi-cloud environments for federal agencies and FedRAMP Cloud Service Providers. Looking forward to engaging discussions on how emerging technologies like Al and advanced cloud security tools are reshaping the federal tech landscape. ?? Want to connect at the summit? Drop a comment below or send a message! Registration Link Below

Achieve FedRAMP compliance rapidly, all while keeping full control and ownership of your cloud infrastructure. You maintain ownership of your AWS and/or Azure cloud accounts with a customized architecture and avoid being locked in to a vendor. Success starts with a secure foundation tailored to your needs, backed by experienced professionals. Build and run your cloud environment with an compliant architecture, strong security controls, and comprehensive continuous monitoring from day one.