{"id":78544,"date":"2023-03-31T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2023-03-31T15:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/?p=78544"},"modified":"2024-08-06T10:37:13","modified_gmt":"2024-08-06T14:37:13","slug":"what-is-fisma-compliance","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/jumpcloud.com\/blog\/what-is-fisma-compliance","title":{"rendered":"What Is FISMA Compliance?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

U.S.government agencies control and store a lot of sensitive data. The Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) was adopted as a framework to keep that information from falling into the wrong hands.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Complying with FISMA requirements is mandatory for federal and state agencies, but it also carries significant benefits that can translate into readiness for current and emerging cybersecurity threats. This article breaks down what FISMA is, its requirements,non-compliance penalties, and how JumpCloud can help your organization to comply with FISMA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

What Is the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA)?<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

FISMA, is a U.S. federal legislation that provides a framework for protecting government information and operations. It was enacted into law in 2002 as part of the E-Government Act and has become one of the most significant regulations for reducing information security risks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The E-Government Act was enacted to allow U.S. federal and state agencies to improve e-government services and processes while enabling them to manage federal spending regarding information security. At the core of the E-Government Act is the FISMA framework, which provides a framework for U.S. agencies to leverage to minimize information security risks while emphasizing cost-effectiveness. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The framework has  broadened to also include private businesses that hold contracts with the U.S. government. FISMA assigns some of its responsibilities to other federal agencies, such as NIST(National Institute of Standards and Technology)<\/a> and OMB (Office of Management and Budget).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FISMA requires agency officers including chief information officers (CIOs) and inspector generals (IGs) to formulate and implement policies and controls that can mitigate information security risks to acceptable levels and in a cost-effective manner. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Once implemented, these officials must undertake an annual review of their security programs and report the same to OMB, which uses the supplied data to assist in its oversight responsibilities. The OMB can also leverage this data when preparing a compliance report for congressional oversight. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

FISMA Compliance Requirements<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The requirements for complying with FISMA are vast and are intended to offer flexibility. The steps a company needs to take will differ depending on factors such as the type of organization, information the organization handles, risk profiles, and more. NIST<\/a> outlines several steps toward complying with FISMA. These are some of those requirements: <\/p>\n\n\n\n