Federal Compliance Solutions
for Government Agencies

Reduce risk and ensure compliance as federal mandates emerge and evolve

Government agencies are a prime target for threat actors as they house some of the most sensitive data in the world. And the risk is significant – according to Microsoft’s annual Digital Defense Report, nearly half (48%) of attacks from July 2020 to June 2021 involved world governments, with the United States absorbing almost half of all the attacks combined. This high rate of breaches is alarming, and it’s part of the reason the United States is taking strides to regulate the creation of software sold to government agencies (see the Executive Order on Improving the Nation’s Cybersecurity).

Staying one step ahead means paying attention to these guidelines and other regulations. As web applications are a prime target for threat actors carrying out organized crime and cyber-espionage, it’s more critical than ever that agencies comply with security standards outlined in the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), NIST 800-53 SA-11, and DISA STIG to prevent the theft of confidential data.

FISMA Compliance Solutions

Secure federal government networks and systems

The FISMA act is especially important for those building and managing software in a federal capacity. It requires agencies to develop, document, and implement an information security program to safeguard their systems and data. It’s based on a framework maintained by the National Institute of Standards and Testing (NIST) that outlines guidance and controls for cybersecurity.

Some of the key requirements include:

• Creating an inventory of information systems built by agencies and third-party vendors, and indicating where systems interface and which ones are out of the control of the agency in question.
• Assessing and understanding the threat landscape and categorizing the severity of the risks those information systems bring.
• Continuous monitoring and coverage through a security plan or program that involves periodic review, and modification to keep the plan up to date.
• Certification and accreditation through yearly reviews to demonstrate compliance with implementing, maintaining, and monitoring these critical systems.

Holistically, the FISMA act “…requires the head of each Federal agency to provide information security protections commensurate with the risk and magnitude of the harm resulting from unauthorized access, use, disclosure, disruption, modification, or destruction of information and information systems.” It also requires that agency heads provide information on the “adequacy and effectiveness” of information security policies and procedures.

In addition to government agencies, FISMA applies to contractors and third parties that use or operate an information system on behalf of a federal agency. As these regulations continue to grow and reach more areas of software development, organizations that aren’t compliant with federal regulations might hit bottlenecks and walls that prevent deployment.

Demonstrating compliance is crucial for highly regulated industries like government, healthcare, and financial services. Staying true to those core industry standards and best practices is especially vital as major data breaches continue to make headlines. Preventing breaches from within the software supply chain is key, and that’s where Invicti Security can step in to help close gaps in security coverage.

Built-in reports ensure that organizations can meet external compliance needs while also creating internal policies and processes tailored to their own security goals. It’s efficient and effective, with a scan policy optimization wizard that develops policies specific to a tech stack of choice, making it even easier to meet or exceed compliance expectations. And while FISMA compliance is crucial, it’s the tip of the iceberg when it comes to compliance and risk management for government agencies.

NIST Risk Management Framework

Understand how well your systems are configured to NIST 800-53

NIST’s Cybersecurity Framework is a voluntary framework that’s based on existing standards, guidelines, and practices. Following it is an excellent first step towards ensuring that an organization will meet federal compliance needs. The NIST Special Publication 800-53 provides a catalog of security and privacy controls for all U.S. federal information systems, setting the security baseline for federal agencies and contractors.

While these standards are continuously updated to address new threats and to prevent major cybersecurity incidents, the latest NIST 800-53 SA-11 release recommends that agencies continually diagnose and mitigate security for all web applications. This is done by utilizing Static, Dynamic, and Interactive code analysis tools.

Leveraging Invicti’s modern DAST + IAST tools to automate vulnerability management with truly continuous coverage can help improve security posture and maintain compliance. Invicti offers reports that help clarify compliance needs for industry and regulatory requirements around NIST, too, which provide clearer windows of intelligence into the health of your AppSec.

DISA STIG Compliance

Ensure the security of your software

To help ensure that agencies are up to date on the latest guidance, the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA) provides technical guides referred to as Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) to assist with the IT and technological aspects of organizing, delivering, and managing defense-related information.

STIG guidelines outline how an organization should handle and manage security software and systems, which means that any organization looking to stay on top of regulatory requirements should consider them. These guidelines, along with NIST guidance and FISMA regulations, are designed to make device hardware and software as secure as possible.

Invicti’s tools feature built-in reporting for DISA STIG compliance that takes some of the guesswork out of hitting those critical security benchmarks too, which helps ensure that your code is protected from the latest threats.

Not only do these guidelines and reports safeguard government IT networks and systems, but as they become the standard, following best practices and selecting the right scanning tools will set organizations up for success whether they work with federally-facing software or not.

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