Dawn Pamulaya
Cybersecurity risks are growing in today’s business world. Your company must be ready for different cyber threats. Due to access to federal information, data, and software, federal contractors are more likely to receive attacks than executive agencies.
Your firm must comprehend federal cybersecurity regulations to avoid assaults from nation-states, organized crime, and hacktivists.
Table of Contents
What is cybersecurity?
Cybersecurity is a way to safeguard systems, networks, devices, and data against cyber-attack. It lessens the likelihood of cyber assaults and guards against the unauthorized use of systems, networks, and technology.
Hardware and software security measures protect the network and infrastructure from unauthorized access, disruption, and misuse. Organizations are safe from various external and internal threats with adequate network security.
The cybersecurity regulations include directives that protect IT and computer systems from cyberattacks such as viruses, worms, Trojan horses, phishing, DOS attacks, unauthorized access, and control system attacks.
Ten leading government software supply chain security
1. Okta
Okta gives public sector buyers and new or diverse suppliers AI-powered Market Intelligence, collaboration critical software, and specialist market guidance so they can find each other and work together to make a difference on critical public missions.
AI-matching technology from Okta and comprehensive market data from Okta empower public sector buyers and emerging diverse enterprises, allowing for time and money savings while driving growth.
2. CrowdStrike Services
CrowdStrike secures the employees, processes, and tools that power today’s businesses. Their cyber security practices prevent breaches, ransomware, and cyber assaults.
Their response to cybersecurity incidents includes the following:
- Respond to cyber incidents and investigate threats. They also help their clients after an attack and increase endpoint security.
- React quickly to attacks in the cloud, find security settings that are not working, improve security measures in your cloud infrastructure, and more.
- Find misused credentials, stop unauthorized access, cut down on password fatigue, use conditional access, and more.
- Monitor unprotected devices, examine network traffic, identify threat actors, and block attacks.
3. SecurityHQ
SecurityHQ is a global MSSP that quickly identifies and remedies cybersecurity threats. They’re always looking for potential dangers to make their clients feel safe.
The company has a team of analysts that works around the clock every day of the year. Their global security operation centers provide specialized guidance and comprehensive visibility to give you peace of mind.
You can use SecurityHQ award-winning security solutions and capabilities to speed up operations and minimize risk and total security expenses.
SecurityHQ services include the following:
- The ability to detect and identify potential dangers to customers and surface hazards.
- Response Ability to stop, block, and destroy hazards & risks by taking immediate action.
- Both parties should share responsibility and accountability.
- Reduction of risk and a proportional increase in return
- Allow customers to focus on their company with confidence and peace of mind
4. Oasys
Oasys International Corporation (Oasys) is a management and technical advisory services company that helps customers in both the public and private sectors find objective, flexible solutions to their most challenging problems. Integrity, Excellence, and Teamwork are three simple but powerful core values that guide how they do business.
The company is a VCE-certified Service Disabled Veteran Owned Small Business (SDVOSB) with a lot of experience solving complex technical problems through solution design and implementation at the project, program, and enterprise levels.
5. Axonius
Axonius gives IT and security teams the confidence to handle complexity by reducing threats, navigating risk, reducing cyber incidents, and informing business-level strategy while getting rid of manual, repetitive tasks.
Their services include network security, security policy validation, cyber hygiene, IT asset visibility, cyber security solutions, asset inventory, SaaS security, and cybersecurity asset management.
With Axonius, IT and security teams can stop being reactive and focus on other core activities of the business.
6. UpGuard
UpGuard is a platform for evaluating and managing the risks that technology faces. They can provide UpGuard offerings like UpGuard BreachSight and UpGuard Vendor Risk.
Automated security questionnaires, vendor monitoring, security ratings, and risk prioritization and remediation are all part of UpGuard’s Vendor Risk program.
Data leak detection, credential discovery, remediation, and auditing are all included in UpGuard BreachSight. UpGuard’s core features include monitoring and tracking changes, automating compliance, and integrating other systems.
7. TASC Management
Cybersecurity, information security, national security, and business management are only a few of the services provided by TASC Management Corporation to the federal and commercial sectors.
As a result of their work with a variety of US government agencies, commercial clients, and international clients, TASC Management Corporation has developed the expertise necessary to fully comprehend your organization’s requirements for a long-term solution and develop a strategy for its successful implementation and ongoing support.
8. IT Concepts
IT Concepts is a cybersecurity company headquartered in Vienna, Virginia. Service Disabled Veteran Owned IT Concepts, Inc. Among the services provided by ITC are Business Solutions, Program and Project Management, Micro Services and DevOps, Human Capital Solutions, and Intelligence Support Services.
This software supply chain security company also has expertise in IT Services for System Development and Integration, Systems Analysis, Enterprise Architecture, Testing, and Authorization (A&A).
With the federal government, IT Concepts has contract vehicles such as GSA Schedule 70 and Navy SeaPort-e. They also offer cloud engineering on top of all the other services.
IT Concepts’ areas of expertise are architecting, costing, and migrating to the cloud. They can get you up and running in the cloud quickly and affordably so you can concentrate on running your business instead of worrying about your IT infrastructure.
9. Improvix Technologies
Improvix is a reliable IT solution company with an excellent track record. The company delivers cost-effective, secure, and well-integrated IT solutions to improve the government’s technology landscape.
The IT firm also offers fully customized solutions, whether re-architecting a custom application before moving it to the cloud or making a secure way to communicate while traveling abroad. Improvix’s elite team of consultants and engineers is ready to help you achieve your mission from start to finish with executive-level service.
10. Solutions3
Solutions3 is a consulting and training company that has won awards and is known as an IT management leader. They provide complete life cycle solutions. All of their IT management solutions consider people, processes, technology, and partners to ensure that all parts of the solution work well together.
Solutions3 help its clients figure out their current and desired state and help them create a roadmap and implementation plan to get to their desired state.
Government cybersecurity standard certification
Being a government service provider can be laborious and requires completing different types of government contract requirements. Government software products and software providers comply with the federal acquisition regulations.
Security standards define functional and assurance requirements for a product, system, or process. Having well-defined cyber security standards ensures product uniformity and provides dependable criteria for determining which security products to buy.
The software bill of materials needs to be re-evaluated to find affected critical software and the risks that come with it. Similar to its position in current DOD cybersecurity standards, the executive order envisions NIST playing a significant role in this process.
The CISSP cybersecurity professional organization certification is one of the most searched credentials in the field. Getting your CISSP shows that you know IT security and can plan, implement, and keep an eye on a cybersecurity program.
The federal government’s strategy for responding to cybersecurity incidents will be better coordinated and managed once you have the certification. It includes Zero Trust Architecture, secure cloud services, and improved software supply chain security.
Cybersecurity requirements for government service
U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) manages various IT security programs that help federal agencies implement IT policies that improve public safety and enhance the system and network resiliency. You must comprehend the guiding concepts and regulations to do business with the federal government or any branch.
DoD and NASA have set additional cybersecurity standards for contractors in recent years. Your company should know these requirements.
The Federal Information Security Modernization Act
Congress adopted the Federal Information Security Modernization Act in 2014 to modernize the federal government’s cybersecurity measures. For the most part, FISMA aimed to codify the Department of Homeland Security’s power. Its purpose is to oversee the application of information security policies for non-national security federal executive branch systems, including providing technical assistance and deploying technologies to such systems.
DFARS clause 252.204-7012
DFAR Clause 252.204.7012 requires cyber security for federal contractors. It protects covered defense information on a contractor’s internal system or network.
Cyber incidents that disrupt a contractor’s capacity to perform operationally vital assistance or a contractor’s information system should be reported.
NIST 800-171
National Institute of Standards and Technology Special Publication 800-171 (NIST 800-171) controls Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) in nonfederal systems and organizations. Contractors must secure regulated, unclassified information in nonfederal systems and organizations.
Emerging CMMC requirements
Defense contractors will soon have to comply with an emerging standard called CMMC.
The DoD utilizes the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification (CMMC) to increase compliance. Before CMMC, Defense Industrial Base (DIB) contractors conducted their own security inspections, but CMMC mandates third-party assessments.
