StateRAMP Moderate Category 3

Overview

StateRAMPModerate Category 3 is a cybersecurity risk management framework thatassists U.S. state and local government agencies in assessing andvalidating the security posture of cloud service providers. Itestablishes baseline requirements for protecting agency data andensuring reliable cloud services in accordance with public sectorstandards.

Developed andgoverned by the StateRAMP organization, the framework mirrors theFederal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) withcontrols tailored to state and local government needs. StateRAMPModerate Category 3 is used by state agencies, cloud vendors, andthird-party assessors to evaluate and certify security controls,privacy measures, and compliance with regulatory expectations.

Organizationsimplement StateRAMP Moderate Category 3 by conducting gapassessments, implementing required security controls, documentinginternal procedures, and participating in annual independent securityaudits. The framework integrates with broader risk management andcompliance programs to support secure cloud adoption, facilitateprocurement, and demonstrate regulatory adherence.

Why it Matters

StateRAMPModerate Category 3 enables government agencies and cloud providersto manage cybersecurity risks and ensure the protection of sensitivepublic sector data.

Key benefitsinclude:

•  Strengthen cybersecurity oversight

Establishesstandardized processes for evaluating and validating securitypostures across cloud solutions used by state and local agencies.

•  Enhance compliance alignment

Supportsregulatory adherence by mapping security controls to state-specificrequirements and demonstrating due diligence during audits.

•  Promote operational resilience

Reduces servicedisruption by enforcing robust risk management, contingency planning,and incident response procedures tailored to public sector needs.

•  Improve audit readiness

Simplifiespreparation for independent assessments by requiring documentedsecurity measures and annual verification by authorized assessors.

•  Bolster data protection practices

Safeguardsconfidential government information and citizen data through baselineexpectations for access control, encryption, and monitoring.

How it Works

StateRAMPModerate Category 3 structures its framework around a comprehensivecontrol catalog modeled after the FedRAMP Moderate baseline, groupingsecurity controls into control families such as access control,incident response, and risk assessment. These families cover keygovernance domains essential for cloud service security,incorporating federal regulatory requirements and continuousmonitoring standards established for government and public sectorcloud environments.

Organizationsimplement StateRAMP Moderate Category 3 by assessing their cloudservices against standardized security controls, conducting riskassessments, and mapping these controls into their wider governanceand compliance programs. In practice, this includes documentingsecurity measures, performing periodic assessments to validatecompliance, monitoring security posture, and remediating identifiedgaps to align with required federal and state cybersecuritystandards.

UsingSmartSuite, organizations operationalize StateRAMP by leveragingbuilt-in control libraries mapped to StateRAMP Moderate Category 3requirements. They can manage risk registers, automate evidencecollection for compliance audits, and utilize policy governance toolsto maintain continuous compliance. SmartSuite further enablesorganizations to track remediation efforts, monitor audit readiness,and generate dashboards for ongoing compliance and risk managementmonitoring.

Key Elements

•  Moderate Baseline Security Controls

Specifies a setof required security safeguards tailored for moderate risk cloudservice environments.

•  Control Family Groupings

Organizesindividual requirements into thematic categories covering areas suchas access, incident response, and governance.

•  Authorization and Assessment Process

Establishesstructured procedures for evaluating, validating, and authorizingcloud services for use by state entities.

•  Continuous Monitoring Structure

Describesongoing mechanisms for security control monitoring and threatdetection throughout the service lifecycle.

•  Governance and Compliance Oversight

Definesorganizational responsibilities for security management, complianceverification, and regulatory alignment.

•  Documentation and Reporting Requirements

Outlinesrequired documentation, audit artifacts, and reporting protocols forassessment and verification activities.

Framework Scope

StateRAMPModerate Category 3 is adopted by U.S. state and local agencies,cloud service providers, and independent security assessorsresponsible for securing government data within cloud environments.It governs the implementation and validation of security controls andprivacy measures, typically during procurement, cloud adoption, orcompliance activities, supporting robust risk management anddemonstrating control effectiveness.

Framework Objectives

StateRAMPModerate Category 3 defines core objectives for managingcybersecurity risk and ensuring secure, compliant cloud services forstate and local agencies.

•  Safeguard public sector data through robust security controlsand privacy practices

•  Strengthen cybersecurity governance to align with regulatoryrequirements and industry best practices

•  Improve risk management by validating cloud service providersecurity postures

•  Enable operational resilience and minimize disruptions fromcyber threats

•  Demonstrate compliance with state and local regulatoryframeworks and standards

•  Enhance audit readiness with consistent security assessments anddocumented evidence StateRAMP Moderate Category 3 aligns closely withFedRAMP Moderate and NIST SP 800-53, leveraging established federalcloud security requirements. Organizations typically implementStateRAMP to demonstrate compliance with state government cloudprocurement standards, ensure secure cloud service adoption, andstreamline security assessments for vendors providing cloud solutionsto the public sector.

Common Framework Mappings

StateRAMPModerate Category 3 is often mapped to other recognized security andprivacy frameworks to streamline compliance efforts, reduce auditduplication, and demonstrate a unified security posture across cloudand government environments.

Mappedframeworks include:

CIS CriticalSecurity Controls

FedRAMP

ISO/IEC 27001

ISO/IEC 27002

ISO/IEC 27017

ISO/IEC 27701

NISTCybersecurity Framework

NIST SP 800-53

SOC 2 CloudSecurity