FISMA Compliance Consulting
FISMA, the Federal Information Security Modernization Act, sets the security expectations for federal information systems and the contractors that run them. AvoraTech helps organizations meet those expectations end to end, from categorizing a system to maintaining its authorization, on the same NIST 800-53 foundation the rest of the federal compliance world depends on.
What FISMA Requires
FISMA is often described as paperwork, but underneath it is a straightforward chain of decisions. You categorize the system, select and implement controls proportional to its impact, prove those controls work through assessment, obtain authorization, and then keep watching. Each link depends on the one before it. A categorization set carelessly distorts every control decision downstream, which is why we start there.
Categorization Drives Everything
Using FIPS 199, a system is categorized as low, moderate, or high impact based on the confidentiality, integrity, and availability needs of the information it handles. FIPS 200 then sets the minimum security requirements, and the NIST 800-53 baseline follows from there. Most FISMA systems land at moderate, but the difference between moderate and high is a large jump in control obligations, so getting the categorization defensible is worth the time.
FISMA Support We Provide
- FIPS 199 categorization and information type analysis
- NIST 800-53 Rev 5 control selection, tailoring, and implementation guidance
- FISMA moderate and high security assessments
- System Security Plan development and POA&M management
- Authorization package preparation for the Authorizing Official
- Continuous monitoring program design and ongoing support
FISMA, FedRAMP, and the Common Foundation
FISMA governs federal systems broadly. FedRAMP standardizes the same principles for cloud services so an authorization can be reused across agencies. CMMC carries related requirements into the defense supply chain. All three are built on NIST 800-53, which means the control work you do for FISMA is rarely wasted. We build it once, document it well, and reuse the evidence wherever your mission takes it.
Continuous Monitoring Keeps You Compliant
FISMA compliance is not a certificate you frame and forget. It is a posture you maintain. Agencies report annually, systems are monitored continuously, and significant changes can pull a system back into assessment. We design monitoring programs that produce the evidence reviewers expect without consuming your team, so compliance stays a steady state rather than an annual scramble.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is FISMA compliance?
FISMA, the Federal Information Security Modernization Act, requires federal agencies and the contractors operating systems on their behalf to maintain an information security program built on NIST standards. In practice, FISMA compliance means categorizing your system, implementing the appropriate NIST 800-53 controls, having them assessed, achieving authorization, and monitoring the system continuously.
What is the difference between FISMA and FedRAMP?
FISMA is the law that governs security for federal information systems broadly. FedRAMP is the standardized program that applies FISMA principles to cloud services so that one authorization can be reused across agencies. A cloud provider pursues FedRAMP; an agency system or a contractor system operated for an agency pursues FISMA authorization. Both rest on NIST 800-53.
What are FIPS 199 and FIPS 200?
FIPS 199 is the standard used to categorize a system as low, moderate, or high impact based on confidentiality, integrity, and availability. FIPS 200 establishes the minimum security requirements that flow from that categorization. Together they determine which NIST 800-53 baseline applies to your system.
How often does FISMA require assessment?
FISMA expects ongoing oversight rather than a single event. Agencies report on their security posture annually, and systems are subject to continuous monitoring with periodic control assessments. Significant changes to a system can trigger assessment outside the normal cycle.
Related Services
Tell us about your system and baseline. We will show you the shortest defensible path to compliance.
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