StateRAMP™: Importance of Trusted Cybersecurity Standards

StateRAMP plays a big role in improving government cloud security, especially as it is a required standard for so many states in the United States. But why should you care about StateRAMP? And, how does StateRAMP help with the security of cloud applications and services? We will discuss these topics and more, including RUCKUS's pursuit of StateRAMP certification, in this blog.

Understanding the Significance of StateRAMP

U.S. states are facing mounting pressures to make sure that their systems, and by extension cloud-based applications, services, platforms, and infrastructure, are protected against increasingly frequent cybersecurity threats. To answer that concern, the StateRAMP organization brings together best practices to address cloud security challenges within the states and for companies providing cloud services to those states. Since StateRAMP is an implementation of NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technologies) cyber security regulations, following StateRAMP shows a company's commitment to cybersecurity as a whole, even if the StateRAMP standard is not one adopted by a country, municipality, or enterprise.

By providing consistent standards and certifications to participating cloud service offerings, StateRAMP paves the way for US public sector governments to purchase the products of certified providers without having to do all of the individual security validation themselves. StateRAMP provides the standards, drives the process for certifying cloud service products, and provides continuous monitoring to validate that the product maintains the cyber security standards required by the NIST Framework. In this way, government entities can focus on picking the best secure cloud products from a list of companies pursuing or already having attained the StateRAMP certification, allowing those entities to move forward into secure solutions, safeguarding sensitive government and individual data.

How Do Consistent Cybersecurity Standards Impact Cloud Products?

Without consistent standards, it is very difficult to repeat a process the same way each time, with the same result. That is the idea behind having consistent cybersecurity standards. If you need to evaluate a connecting device, protect against malware, determine the safety of code in a program, or validate patch levels of operating systems within a solution, you should do it the same way each time so you can measure and check the results. Therefore, following a consistent standard allows you to:

• Do things the same way each time.
• Validate the results of those processes the same way each time.
• As a government entity choosing a cloud service, evaluate cloud offerings in a consistent manner to determine if they are meeting the government cloud security requirements.

And why is this important? Security information exchange is crucial for protecting government data, the data of individuals that work for those governments and/or the people whose data is collected, stored, and used by those governments. A government entity must be assured that their cloud partner is protecting their systems and data. This is done by aligning cloud SaaS security procedures with accepted cybersecurity guidelines.

StateRAMP utilizes National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), specifically NIST 800-53, as its framework, which is nationally (and internationally, in some cases) recognized. By having cloud service products certified by StateRAMP, state and local agencies don't have to independently validate each offering. By working with StateRAMP, the cloud service provider shows that their product is in line with or working toward a complete cyber security solution, thus reducing state risk when engaging with cloud solutions.

What Governments are Leveraging StateRAMP?

StateRAMP was created to provide consistent standards across states, local governments, and educational institutions (SLED) within the United States. StateRAMP is a registered 501(c)(6) nonprofit membership organization comprised of service providers offering IaaS, PaaS, and/or SaaS solutions, third party assessment organizations, and government officials. Each SLED organization independently decides whether to adopt the StateRAMP framework as a requirement for providing cloud services with their organization. Currently, that adoption is over 50% of U.S. states and growing!

What Can You Expect from RUCKUS® Services?

RUCKUS Networks, a CommScope company, is committed to providing secure products for our customers. By following the StateRAMP guidelines, RUCKUS cloud services are aligning with industry best practices for cybersecurity to protect customers' networks, personal information, and critical data that traverses a network.

RUCKUS believes that the security of your government and individual information is of paramount importance. That is why RUCKUS is currently engaged with the StateRAMP Progressing Security Snapshot Program for three of its products. You can find these products listed under the "progressing" section of the StateRAMP Authorized Product List. Each of these products, with a brief summary, is listed below.

• RUCKUS One™: an AI-driven network assurance and business intelligence platform designed for enterprises. It allows for easy management of a converged enterprise network, aids in making informed business decisions, and ensures exceptional user experiences. With flexible subscription and deployment models, it enables IT to deploy networks simply, reliably, securely, and at scale.
• RUCKUS AI™: an AI-driven cloud platform designed for service assurance and business intelligence. It provides comprehensive visibility into network operations and accelerates troubleshooting for RUCKUS enterprise networks. Additionally, RUCKUS AI enables line-of-business stakeholders to define and monitor business KPIs.
• Cloudpath® Enrollment System: a security and policy management platform that simplifies and secures network access. It enables organizations to provide secure, policy-based access to wireless networks for a multitude of devices. With the Cloudpath system, users can easily onboard their devices, and the platform facilitates secure, reliable connectivity. It supports nearly all devices, including IoT sensors, IP video cameras, phones, tablets, and laptops. The platform also provides valuable data collection and analytics capabilities.

In addition, states, such as Texas which have their own version of StateRAMP called TX-RAMP, recognize StateRAMP and accept the statuses and certifications from the StateRAMP program. This means that, since RUCKUS is enrolled in the Progressing Snapshot Program with StateRAMP, any Texas government department, agency, or organization, that requires TX-RAMP can also utilize the above RUCKUS cloud services and be in alignment with the state of Texas information security requirements.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of a state-level cloud security program like StateRAMP?

State-level cloud security programs like StateRAMP offer consistent cybersecurity standards for SLED organizations. This helps enhance the security of government data and systems, increasing confidence in protecting sensitive information. Adopting StateRAMP standards can also save time and resources by avoiding redundant security assessments.

Can businesses use StateRAMP to meet their security requirements or is it only for government agencies?

StateRAMP is not just limited to government agencies; businesses can also leverage it to meet their security requirements. By adopting StateRAMP, businesses can demonstrate their commitment to cybersecurity best practices and enhance their overall security posture. Consulting with a cybersecurity expert can help determine if StateRAMP is suitable for a business's specific needs.

How does StateRAMP differ from other Cloud SaaS security frameworks such as NIST or CIS?

StateRAMP sets itself apart from other cloud security frameworks like NIST or CIS by catering specifically to state and local governments, while NIST and CIS offer generalized security guidelines that cover a broad range of topics (including some specializing on cloud). Additionally, StateRAMP includes continuous monitoring once a certification is awarded to ensure continued compliance with the StateRAMP cybersecurity standard.

Is RUCKUS a member of StateRAMP to provide government cloud security?

Yes, RUCKUS is a member of StateRAMP and is enrolled in the StateRAMP Progressing Security Snapshot Program for RUCKUS One, RUCKUS AI, and the Cloudpath Enrollment System. You can see our products under the "Progressing Products List."

Conclusion

Consistent cybersecurity standards are crucial for safeguarding sensitive data and protecting against cyber criminals. StateRAMP is instrumental in ensuring that government agencies have a standardized framework for assessing the security of cloud products. By implementing StateRAMP requirements, state agencies and other SLED organizations can maintain the integrity and confidentiality of their data, providing a higher level of trust and confidence in their organizations and those they represent. RUCKUS, by working with StateRAMP, is demonstrating its commitment to providing secure and reliable products for SLED entities to address current and future cybersecurity threats.

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