FedRAMP Compliance
Dependency Security for Federal Cloud Services
FedRAMP authorization requires rigorous vulnerability management based on NIST 800-53 controls. CISA's Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog creates mandatory remediation timelines for federal systems.
Overview
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is the U.S. government's standardized approach to security assessment for cloud products and services. Based on NIST Special Publication 800-53, FedRAMP establishes baseline security requirements that Cloud Service Providers (CSPs) must meet. For organizations seeking or maintaining FedRAMP authorization, dependency vulnerability management carries unique urgency. CISA's Binding Operational Directive 22-01 requires federal agencies—and by extension, their cloud providers—to remediate Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) within specific timeframes: - Critical vulnerabilities: 15 days - High vulnerabilities: 30 days This creates a direct link between dependency security and federal compliance. A single vulnerable package in your application could trigger mandatory remediation timelines and impact your Authorization to Operate (ATO). DepShield integrates CISA KEV data directly into vulnerability scanning, immediately flagging dependencies that require expedited remediation under federal requirements. This helps you stay ahead of compliance obligations rather than scrambling during continuous monitoring.
Key Requirements & How DepShield Helps
Vulnerability Monitoring and Scanning
Scan for vulnerabilities in the system and hosted applications at defined frequencies and when new vulnerabilities potentially affecting the system are identified.
How DepShield helps: DepShield provides on-demand and integrable vulnerability scanning across npm, pnpm, bun, and Composer ecosystems. Scan lock files to identify vulnerabilities in all dependencies, including transitive packages.
Flaw Remediation
Identify, report, and correct system flaws. Install security-relevant software updates within defined time periods.
How DepShield helps: DepShield shows fixed versions for each vulnerability, enabling faster remediation. KEV flagging highlights vulnerabilities with federal remediation mandates, ensuring you meet BOD 22-01 timelines.
System Component Inventory
Develop and document an inventory of system components that accurately reflects the system and includes all components within the system boundary.
How DepShield helps: SBOM generation creates a CycloneDX 1.5 compliant inventory of all software components, satisfying software asset inventory requirements with machine-readable documentation.
Developer Testing and Evaluation
Require the developer to create and implement a security assessment plan, including flaw remediation and testing processes.
How DepShield helps: Integrate DepShield into CI/CD pipelines to scan dependencies during the development lifecycle. Evidence trails document security testing activities for assessment packages.
Supply Chain Controls and Processes
Establish a process for identifying and addressing weaknesses or deficiencies in the supply chain elements and processes.
How DepShield helps: DepShield provides visibility into open source supply chain risks through vulnerability scanning, license analysis, and dependency graph visualization showing the full supply chain.
Benefits for FedRAMP Compliance
Immediately identify CISA KEV vulnerabilities requiring expedited remediation
Generate evidence for RA-5 vulnerability scanning requirements
Produce CM-8 compliant software component inventories (SBOM)
Support continuous monitoring with repeatable, documented scanning
Track remediation timelines with evidence trails and timestamps
Prepare for 3PAO assessments with comprehensive vulnerability documentation
Stay ahead of compliance risks
Get notified when new vulnerabilities are discovered that could impact your FedRAMP compliance posture.
Ready to strengthen your FedRAMP compliance?
Scan your dependencies now and get evidence for your next audit.
Start Scanning