Federal Policy & Guidance

What the IS2P2's new Rapid Cloud Review (RCR) requirement means for you

When the Policy team updated the IS2P2 in June 2024, one big change came from a clarification about requirements for cloud service implementation at CMS. Now, all SaaS products used at CMS that do not have FedRAMP authorization must go through a Rapid Cloud Review (RCR) process. 

If your SaaS product is currently FedRAMP authorized, you don't need to do anything more — you have satisfied the new requirement. 

The 7 Tenets of Zero Trust for ISSOs and ADOs

As part of their white paper on Zero Trust SP-800-207, NIST identified Seven Tenets that form the foundation of Zero Trust. The Zero Trust Workgroup at CMS has applied these tenets to CMS IT. CMS has many initiatives that support Zero Trust architecture, so engaging with those early can set your project up for a more mature Zero Trust architecture in the future and increase security now.

Zero Trust Maturity Model, Version 2: now with less trust!

In April 2023, the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) released version two of their Zero Trust Maturity Model (ZTMM). This version incorporates feedback from experts and the community in response to their initial June 2021 draft. CISA has kept its conceptual view of a Zero Trust Architecture (ZTA),  incorporating five pillars and three cross-cutting capabilities. However, it has significantly reviewed the functions that build each pillar and capability.

Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity: What it means for you

What is the Executive Order?

The Executive Order on Improving the Nation's Cybersecurity (Executive Order 14028) is an important step forward in protecting Americans from cyber threats. The order, signed by President Biden on May 11, 2021, focuses on strengthening the cybersecurity of the federal government, critical infrastructure, and the private sector.

Zero Trust: what you need to know

Zero Trust is a cybersecurity model that offers protection for CMS systems, employees and beneficiaries through continuous validation at every stage of a digital interaction

As CMS continues to modernize its systems and practices, the agency is implementing Zero Trust and its strong authentication methods, network segmentation, threat prevention, and “least access” policies to benefit everyone.