What is FedRAMP?
The Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP) is a U.S. government program that provides a standardized approach to security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud products and services. FedRAMP is based on NIST Special Publication 800-53 security controls.
FedRAMP authorization is mandatory for cloud service providers (CSPs) that want to do business with federal agencies. The authorization process is rigorous, typically taking 12-18 months and costing $500,000-$2 million. However, once authorized, CSPs can sell to any federal agency through the FedRAMP Marketplace.
Who Needs FedRAMP Compliance?
- Cloud service providers selling to U.S. federal agencies
- SaaS companies pursuing government contracts
- Technology vendors in the federal supply chain
- Contractors supporting federal IT modernization
- Companies seeking GSA Schedule listings
How Expedited WAF Helps with FedRAMP
Expedited WAF provides security controls that map directly to NIST 800-53 requirements, helping you demonstrate compliance with FedRAMP security baselines.
SC-8: Transmission Confidentiality and Integrity
NIST 800-53 requires protecting the confidentiality and integrity of transmitted information.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- Enforces TLS 1.2+ with FIPS-approved cipher suites
- Implements cryptographic protections per NIST SP 800-52 Rev 2
- Forces HTTPS for all traffic
- Configures security headers including HSTS
- Prevents protocol downgrade attacks
TLS Requirements: FedRAMP follows NIST SP 800-52 Rev 2, requiring TLS 1.2 minimum with TLS 1.3 recommended. See our TLS configuration guide.
SC-13: Cryptographic Protection
NIST 800-53 requires implementing cryptographic mechanisms to prevent unauthorized disclosure and modification of information.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- Strong encryption standards per NIST guidelines
- FIPS 140-validated cryptographic modules
- Secure key management practices
- Modern cipher suite configurations
- Regular cryptographic configuration reviews
SI-3: Malicious Code Protection
NIST 800-53 requires protection against malicious code at system entry and exit points.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- Blocks OWASP Top 10 vulnerabilities:
- SQL injection attacks
- Cross-site scripting (XSS)
- Command injection
- XML External Entity (XXE) attacks
- Filters malicious payloads before they reach your application
- Virtual patching for newly discovered threats
- Continuous rule updates for emerging attack vectors
SI-4: System Monitoring
NIST 800-53 requires monitoring the system to detect attacks, indicators of potential attacks, and unauthorized connections.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- Comprehensive logging of all HTTP requests
- Real-time threat detection and alerting
- Detailed attack analysis and forensics
- Integration with SIEM platforms for centralized monitoring
- Anomaly detection for suspicious patterns
AC-4: Information Flow Enforcement
NIST 800-53 requires enforcing approved authorizations for controlling the flow of information within the system.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- Geo-blocking controls data flows by geographic region
- IP restrictions limit access to authorized networks
- Rate limiting prevents unauthorized bulk data access
- Bot detection blocks automated data collection
- Anonymous proxy blocking prevents circumvention
SC-7: Boundary Protection
NIST 800-53 requires monitoring and controlling communications at external managed interfaces.
How Expedited WAF helps:
- WAF operates at the network boundary, filtering all inbound traffic
- DDoS protection prevents availability attacks
- Traffic analysis identifies and blocks malicious requests
- Ingress filtering for known bad actors and attack sources
NIST 800-53 Control Mapping
| NIST Control | Control Name | How Expedited WAF Helps |
|---|---|---|
| AC-4 | Information Flow Enforcement | Geo-blocking, IP restrictions, rate limiting |
| SC-7 | Boundary Protection | WAF filtering, DDoS protection, traffic analysis |
| SC-8 | Transmission Confidentiality | TLS 1.2+ enforcement, HTTPS redirection |
| SC-13 | Cryptographic Protection | FIPS-approved cipher suites, secure configuration |
| SI-3 | Malicious Code Protection | OWASP Top 10 blocking, payload filtering |
| SI-4 | System Monitoring | Request logging, threat detection, alerting |
| SI-10 | Information Input Validation | Input filtering, injection prevention |
FedRAMP Compliance Checklist for Heroku
Use this checklist to prepare your Heroku application for FedRAMP authorization:
Cryptographic Controls
- Enable Expedited WAF with FIPS-approved configurations
- Enforce TLS 1.2+ with NIST-approved cipher suites - TLS guide
- Enable HTTPS redirection - How to force HTTPS
- Configure security headers - Security headers guide
Access Controls
- Implement IP allowlisting for administrative access
- Enable geo-blocking to restrict to authorized regions - Geo-blocking guide
- Block anonymous proxies - Proxy blocking guide
- Configure rate limiting for access controls
Threat Protection
- Enable OWASP Top 10 protection - OWASP protection guide
- Enable DDoS protection - DDoS protection guide
- Block known malicious IPs - IP blocking guide
- Enable bot detection - Bot blocking guide
Continuous Monitoring
- Enable comprehensive logging for ConMon requirements
- Configure real-time alerts for security events
- Integrate with SIEM for centralized monitoring
- Document all security controls for 3PAO assessment
Important: Heroku and FedRAMP
Heroku offers FedRAMP-authorized infrastructure through Heroku Shield at the Moderate impact level. Expedited WAF provides additional security controls that complement Heroku Shield’s compliance posture.
Related Resources
- TLS Requirements for FedRAMP
- OWASP Top 10 Protection on Heroku
- How to Force HTTPS on Heroku
- Security Headers on Heroku
- DDoS Protection
- Compliance Overview
Get Started
Prepare your Heroku application for FedRAMP authorization with Expedited WAF. Our platform provides security controls that map to NIST 800-53 requirements.