Part 3: Toward Continuous Compliance: Open Telemetry, Control Coverage, and the Role of the 3PAO

By Casey Jones, Chief Architect of Knox Systems

In Part 1, we proposed the concept of a Security Ledger: a cryptographically verifiable system of record for compliance that updates continuously based on real-time evidence. In Part 2, we detailed how risk-adjusted confidence scores can be calculated using Bayes’ Theorem and recorded immutably in LedgerDB.

In this third and final part of the series, we focus on the next frontier: standardizing telemetry coverage across controls, open-sourcing the control-to-evidence map, and redefining the role of the 3PAO to ensure integrity in a continuous compliance world.

Building the Open Compliance Telemetry Layer

In order for the Security Ledger to be trustworthy, it must be fed with comprehensive, observable evidence across the full FedRAMP boundary. That means creating a control-to-telemetry map that:

• Defines what evidence types are relevant for each FedRAMP control
• Maps those to Prometheus-compatible metrics
• Defines evidence freshness, decay windows, and severity
• Supports automated generation of control coverage reports
  
  

At Knox, we’re working to open-source this telemetry model so that:

• Every stakeholder (CSPs, 3PAOs, agencies) understands the required observability footprint
• No one is guessing what counts as evidence
• The community can contribute new detectors and mappings

Just like OWASP standardized threat awareness, we need a COTM — Common Observability for Trust Model.

Coverage Is the Control: Incomplete Telemetry ≠ Compliance

In the current FedRAMP model, it's possible to "pass" controls without actually observing the whole system. But in a ledger-based model, telemetry gaps are violations.

Examples of common pitfalls:

• Only scanning certain subnets or environments (e.g., “we forgot our staging VPN”)
• Disabling or misconfiguring logging for noisy subsystems
• Letting vulnerability scan coverage drop below 100% of the boundary
• Using static evidence from prior scans without freshness guarantees
• Allowing Prometheus exporters to fail silently without alerting
  
  

In a real-time, risk-scored model, all of these create confidence decay—and should result in lowered scores or even automated POA&M creation.

The New Role of the 3PAO: Continuous Verifier of Scope, Integrity, and Fair Play

In a world where compliance is driven by real-time evidence, the Third Party Assessment Organization (3PAO) becomes more critical—not less.

But their role shifts from "point-in-time validator" to continuous integrity checker.

Here’s what the 3PAO’s job looks like in a Knox-style system:

1. Boundary Enforcement

• Validate that all components within the FedRAMP boundary are included in telemetry coverage
• Detect "convenient omissions" (e.g., shadow servers, unmonitored edge cases)
  

2. Signal Integrity

• Confirm that metrics flowing into the Security Ledger are accurate, unmodified, and traceable
• Review sampling intervals, evidence freshness, and exporter health
• Perform forensic verification of selected evidence streams
  

3. Anti-Fraud Auditing

• Detect signs of foul play or negligence, such as:
  
  • Turning off scanning before high-risk deploys
  • Creating “burner” environments that avoid monitoring
  • Suppressing alert signals or log forwarders
  • Replaying old data to simulate real-time telemetry
    

4. Ledger Auditing

• Verify the cryptographic chain of trust in the ledger system (e.g., via Amazon Aurora PostresSQL or blockchain)
• Ensure control scores are only adjusted by valid evidence with assigned LLRs
• Validate that manual overrides are documented and signed
  

In this model, the 3PAO becomes the trust anchor of the continuous compliance pipeline.

They’re not just checking boxes—they’re inspecting the wiring.

Transparency Through Community

All of this only works if the model is open:

• The LLRs for each control must be public
• The control-to-metrics map must be versioned and community-governed
• The Security Ledger’s core schema must be inspectable and verifiable

Just as large language models opened their weights to gain credibility, compliance models must open their logic. Closed-source compliance logic is a liability.

The Future of FedRAMP Is Verifiable, Transparent, and Alive

We’re not just building for ATOs—we’re building for continuous trust.

FedRAMP’s future lies in:

• Real-time metrics
• Probabilistic control scoring
• Immutable audit trails
• Open-source control logic
• 3PAOs as continuous validators, not just periodic checkers

At Knox, we’re committed to that shift—because trust shouldn’t expire every 12 months.

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Part 2: Toward Continuous Compliance Quantifying Risk with Bayes and Capturing Evidence in a Security Ledger

‍By Chris Johnson, CTO of Knox Systems

‍

In Part 1, we introduced the Security Ledger—a real-time, tamper-proof system that reframes FedRAMP compliance as a probabilistic, continuously updated measure, not a static report. Now, in Part 2, we go under the hood.

We'll show how Bayesian inference, log-likelihood ratios (LLRs), and ledger-based transparency work together to produce a living risk engine—one that is inspectable, auditable, and mathematically defensible.

And yes, we brought code and real data.

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From Binary to Bayesian: Probabilistic Assurance of Control Effectiveness

FedRAMP controls aren’t simply "on" or "off." Their effectiveness shifts with context, evidence, and time. So we treat each control as a probabilistic hypothesis:

P(Control is Effective | Evidence)

This lets us reason continuously over real-world telemetry: IAM logs, patch scans, drift reports, vulnerability findings, and more. The system updates confidence scores in real time—no waiting for annual audits.

Step 1: Assigning Prior Probabilities

Every control begins with a prior belief—a starting point for how likely it is to be effective. These priors are informed by:

• Control category (e.g. access control vs. incident response)
  
  
• Historical failure rates
  
  
• Threat modeling and exploit severity
  
  
• Complexity and likelihood of drift
  
  

Example:

{
  "AC-2": { "prior": 0.90 },
  "SC-12": { "prior": 0.75 },
  "SI-2": { "prior": 0.60 }
}

These priors are tunable and evolve with new deployments and observed outcomes.

Step 2: Defining Evidence and LLRs

We define discrete evidence events—findings that either increase or decrease confidence in a control. Each is assigned a log-likelihood ratio (LLR):

log(posterior odds) = log(prior odds) + Σ LLRs

This additive update makes real-time scoring efficient and interpretable.

Example for SI-2 (Flaw Remediation):

‍

"SI-2": {
  "evidence": [
    { "name": "high_cvss_unpatched", "llr": -2.5 },
    { "name": "monthly_patching_completed", "llr": 1.0 },
    { "name": "vuln_scanner_stale", "llr": -1.0 }
  ]
}

LLRs are computed based on empirical data and mapped to actual telemetry triggers.

Real-World Example: AC-2 (Account Management)

From our working model:

• Risk Scenario: A former employee's account is still active and exploited
  
• P(A): 0.3 (probability of compromise if ineffective)
  
• Evidence LLRs:
  
  • Account review overdue: -1.2
    
  • No MFA for privileged accounts: -1.5
    
  • Active Directory logs confirm removal: +1.0
    
    

This model is applied to all 323 FedRAMP Moderate controls using structured data and open analysis:
🔗 GitHub Repo: Knox-Gov/nist_bayes_risk_auto

Prioritizing What Matters: The High-Risk Controls

Using this model, we ranked all FedRAMP Moderate controls by severity and potential impact.

The Top 11 High-Risk Controls stood out due to:

• High exploitation risk
  
• Poor observability without targeted telemetry
  
• Broad system impact if compromised
  
  

These controls form the foundation of our telemetry blueprint—what every system should continuously monitor and score.

Step 3: Continuous Confidence Calculation

Every time Prometheus scrapes a new metric:

1. Convert prior to log-odds
   
2. Add up matching LLRs
   
3. Convert back to a probability using the logistic function:
   
   

P = 1 / (1 + e^(-log odds))

This produces a dynamic confidence score for each control, updated in real time as evidence changes.

Step 4: Writing to the Security Ledger (Amazon Aurora PostresSQL)

Every update—control ID, evidence, LLRs, and confidence score—is appended as a new, immutable revision to Amazon Aurora PostresSQL, our Security Ledger backend.

Each record includes:

• Control ID
  
• Timestamps
  
• Prior and posterior probabilities
  
• Evidence names + timestamps
  
• LLR sum
  
• Operator ID (if manually overridden)
  

This creates a cryptographically verifiable audit trail. Auditors and agencies can trace any score, see what changed, and confirm whether evidence was valid and in-scope.

Why This Must Be Open

If machines are going to tell us when a control is “healthy,” then the logic behind it must be transparent.

That’s why we’re open-sourcing:

• The LLR control dictionary
• Control-to-evidence mappings
• Assumptions and source data

Just like LLMs disclose model weights and benchmarks, compliance logic must be explainable, auditable, and improvable by the community.

Compliance is too important to be a black box.

Recap: What We’ve Built

• Bayesian engine for dynamic scoring
  
• Prior and evidence probabilities for every FedRAMP Moderate control
  
• Identification of top 11 high-risk controls
  
• Immutable compliance ledger in Amazon Aurora PostresSQL
  
• Prometheus telemetry mapping in progress
  
• GitHub: Open LLR control spec
  
  

Coming in Part 3:

We’ll go deeper into instrumentation—mapping every FedRAMP Moderate control to Prometheus-compatible metrics and redefining the role of the 3PAO as a real-time verifier of system integrity.

The future of trust is continuous, explainable, and open. Let’s build it together.

FedRAMP Needs a Security Ledger—Not Just a Checklist, Part 1

By Irina Denisenko, CEO of Knox Systems

‍

FedRAMP has long set the benchmark for cloud security compliance in the public sector. But its current structure—based on periodic assessments and voluminous documentation—struggles to reflect real-time risk and operational truth. What’s missing is not just a better checklist. What’s missing is a Security Ledger.

Just as blockchain introduced the concept of an immutable ledger to prove ownership in crypto, a Security Ledger would establish a tamper-proof, transparent record of an organization’s control posture: Are you compliant or not—and with what level of confidence?

But unlike public blockchains, this ledger isn’t visible to the world. Access is strictly limited to the parties who need to validate the system's security:

• The Cloud Service Provider (CSP)
• The consuming Agency(ies)
• The authorized Third-Party Assessors (3PAOs)

No one else. This is a permissioned ledger, designed for shared trust between verified participants, not public exposure.

But security controls aren't binary. In practice, compliance lives on a spectrum. Some controls are fully satisfied, others only partially. Evidence decays. Systems drift. Risk must be constantly re-evaluated. That’s where Bayesian reasoning comes in. By applying Bayes' Theorem to control assessment—drawing from the excellent work by Stephen Shaffer—we can quantify our belief in the effectiveness of each control and update it continuously based on new observations.

So how do we build this?

The answer lies in Prometheus—the open-source monitoring system that already powers observability at scale across the cloud. Prometheus is built for high-volume, time-series data and excels at continuously scraping, storing, and querying metrics. It's an ideal foundation for a risk-adjusted compliance telemetry layer.

Imagine a system where every FedRAMP control has a corresponding set of observable metrics—scraped, labeled, and stored over time using Prometheus. These metrics feed into a Bayesian model that computes dynamic confidence scores for each control. When paired with a cryptographically verifiable ledger system, this becomes a living, breathing compliance profile: a Security Ledger that is transparent, provable, and grounded in operational reality.

At Knox, we’re building toward this future—one where compliance is not a static report, but a living signal. Powered by open standards like Prometheus and informed by probabilistic models, this is how we transform trust: from paperwork to math.

‍

Stay tuned for Part 2, where our CTO will deep-dive into how Knox envisions the mechanics behind risk-adjusting control confidence using Bayesian inference—and how we ensure the immutability and auditability of that data using Amazon Aurora PostresSQL. We’ll walk through how likelihood ratios are assigned, how evidence is evaluated in real time, and why open-sourcing the control model is essential to building trust in the next era of FedRAMP.

TL;DR

• FedRAMP 20x introduces a streamlined, developer-friendly approach to security compliance for cloud service providers (CSPs).
  
  
• It uses code-based JSON reporting to replace traditional manual documentation.
  
  
• Knox Systems’ CMX Platform adds the critical context and automation needed to make this approach work at scale.
  
  

What is FedRAMP 20x?

FedRAMP 20x is a transformative new government program announced on March 24, 2025, designed to modernize how cloud service providers (CSPs) demonstrate compliance with FedRAMP security standards.

Instead of relying on manual documents and static reports, FedRAMP 20x introduces a code-driven model for security validation. CSPs can use JSON objects with boolean expressions to represent their system’s current security state—for example: "encryption": true.

This approach aims to make FedRAMP compliance simpler, faster, and more transparent for both providers and agencies.

Why FedRAMP 20x Matters for Cloud Security

The traditional FedRAMP authorization process is known for being complex, outdated, and time-consuming. FedRAMP 20x changes that by:

• Reducing complexity in cloud security compliance
  
  
• Providing a clear, machine-readable security reporting model
  
  
• Helping agencies and auditors instantly assess security posture
  
  

But there's one big challenge: context.

Simplicity Needs Context

Even with automation, a simple flag like "encryption": true doesn’t tell the full story. CSPs still need to prove:

• Where encryption is applied (e.g., at rest, in transit, internal traffic)
  
  
• How it’s implemented (e.g., key management, algorithms, scope)
  
  
• Whether it complies with NIST 800-53, ZTA, and other frameworks
  
  

That’s where most compliance tools fall short.

How Knox Systems’ CMX Platform Complements FedRAMP 20x

The Knox CMX Platform fills the context gap by acting as a security automation platform that links together:

• GRC tools (Governance, Risk & Compliance)
  
  
• CNAPPs (Cloud-Native Application Protection Platforms)
  
  
• GitOps and Infrastructure-as-Code pipelines
  
  
• Hyperscale cloud providers like AWS, Azure, and GCP
  
  

With Knox, CSPs can:

• Generate continuous, real-time assessments
  
  
• Track and remediate POA&Ms (Plans of Action & Milestones)
  
  
• Maintain audit-ready compliance documentation
  
  
• Get prescriptive guidance for meeting security standards
  
  

The result? Simplified, continuous, and contextual compliance—all integrated into your DevSecOps workflows.

Why This Is a Big Deal for the Industry

FedRAMP 20x is more than a policy change. It marks a paradigm shift in how public-sector cloud security is defined, measured, and verified.

Security teams and CSPs that embrace this model early—especially those using tools like Knox Systems’ CMX Platform—will have a competitive edge in the government cloud marketplace.

Final Takeaway

March 24, 2025, marks the start of a new era in cloud compliance. FedRAMP 20x will reshape how we:

• Build secure systems
  
  
• Prove compliance
  
  
• And respond to emerging threats
  
  

With the Knox CMX Platform, your team is equipped to automate security context, deliver faster FedRAMP readiness, and stay ahead of evolving compliance frameworks.

Knox has the most ATOs, the most flexible architecture, and the cheapest and fastest time-to-FedRAMP.

How does Knox Compare to the competition? 

1. Fastest and Cheapest Time-to-ATO
   
   • Knox can secure an ATO in as fast as 90 days. How? Knox has invested in creating the largest boundary in the market across all AWS, Azure, GCP, and all major LLMS, allowing us to quickly map your architecture to our existing cloud.
2. Most ATOs
   
   • Knox has 13 ATOs, far surpassing competitors.
   • With 9 years of FedRAMP approvals, Knox has more experience than competitors, ensuring a smoother, proven process.
3. Most Flexible Architecture
   
   • Infrastructure Agnostic Deploy: Deploy apps using Containerized, Microservice, Serverless or any other architecture. Knox does not require containerization.

In short, Knox offers the most ATOs, the fastest process, and the best cost-to-value ratio, making it the strongest choice in the market.

February 2025

The Stark Reality: Thriving Commercial SaaS vs. Sparse Government Options

The commercial SaaS ecosystem is booming. Major platforms like AWS Marketplace, Microsoft AppSource, Salesforce AppExchange, and SAP Store each host thousands of applications—10,000+, 7,000+, 7,000+, and 3,000+, respectively.

Meanwhile, the FedRAMP Marketplace, the U.S. government’s centralized repository for approved cloud software, lists just 370 apps. The contrast is stark: while enterprises and small businesses benefit from a vast array of software solutions, federal agencies are left with limited options, burdened by slow approval processes and high barriers to entry.

The FedRAMP Bottleneck: A $3M Price Tag and Years of Waiting

For SaaS companies looking to enter the government market, the FedRAMP certification process is a major roadblock. Compliance can cost upwards of $3 million and take up to 3 years to complete. The complexity, expense, and long timelines have made government sales inaccessible to all but the largest players, leaving agencies starved of modern software solutions.

This is the problem Knox Systems set out to solve.

Solving FedRAMP for Ourselves—Then for Others

Years ago, we faced this exact challenge. Our SaaS business was thriving in the commercial sector when a major federal agency expressed interest. But there was a catch: we needed FedRAMP certification. With a price tag exceeding $3 million and an uncertain timeline, it seemed out of reach.

Instead of going the traditional route, we found a faster, more cost-effective solution. By leveraging an existing FedRAMP cloud and optimizing the compliance process, we achieved certification in just six months at a fraction of the cost. This breakthrough unlocked contracts with key federal agencies and financial institutions, doubling our revenue.

Seeing the demand from other SaaS companies struggling with the same barriers, we knew we had to take this solution beyond our own company. Knox Systems was born.

Introducing Knox Systems: FedRAMP in Months, Not Years

Knox Systems provides FedRAMP-as-a-Service, enabling SaaS companies to enter the government market at 90% of the cost and in a fraction of the time compared to traditional certification paths.

Our approach removes the complexity, accelerates approval, and allows software providers to focus on what they do best—building and selling great products. With Knox, companies can bypass the multi-year compliance nightmare and start selling to federal agencies in as little as 90 days.

Why This Matters

The government urgently needs access to the same cutting-edge technology that powers the private sector. Yet, with only 370 approved apps compared to the tens of thousands available commercially, federal agencies are left with outdated tools and limited choices.

By breaking down the barriers to FedRAMP certification, Knox Systems is opening the floodgates for innovation in the public sector. SaaS companies no longer have to sit on the sidelines—Knox empowers them to serve the government quickly, affordably, and compliantly.

If your SaaS company is looking to unlock the $100B+ federal market, Knox Systems is your fastest path forward. The time for government SaaS is now—let’s build it together.

Compliance Isn’t a Checkbox—It’s a Go-to-Market Risk

For SaaS companies targeting the U.S. federal market, FedRAMP authorization is not optional. It’s foundational. Yet most early-stage and growth-stage investors underestimate the cost, time, and impact of FedRAMP readiness on a portfolio company’s ability to win government contracts.

The result? Delayed revenue, missed RFP deadlines, and unscalable pilots that never make it into production.

If your portfolio includes SaaS products with public sector potential, you need to understand what FedRAMP-readiness means, and how Knox Systems can help accelerate the compliance journey while protecting valuation and time-to-market.

The FedRAMP Cliff: Where Go-to-Market Plans Stall

It happens all the time: a GovTech startup lands a promising pilot with a federal agency, only to discover it can’t scale beyond the proof-of-concept because it lacks FedRAMP Moderate authorization.

FedRAMP can:

• Take 12-36 months to achieve from scratch
• Cost $1M+ in advisory, documentation, and engineering overhead
• Delay proposal eligibility for large-scale government contracts
• Weigh heavily on technical and security teams, draining focus from product

For investors, this translates into delayed enterprise value and slower return on capital.

What FedRAMP-Readiness Looks Like

A FedRAMP-ready company should:

• Have a documented path to authorization (ATO or JAB) with a timeline and budget
• Understand its shared responsibility model (e.g., AWS GovCloud, Azure IL5)
• Be actively preparing its System Security Plan (SSP)
• Know which controls it must own vs. inherit
• Be engaged with a 3PAO or boundary provider

If those boxes aren’t checked, the company isn’t "government-ready" no matter how strong the tech is.

How Knox Accelerates Return on Compliance

Knox Systems is a compliance infrastructure company purpose-built to eliminate FedRAMP friction for SaaS vendors. We provide:

• FedRAMP-authorized boundary-as-a-service: SaaS teams inherit security controls instead of building from scratch
• CMX compliance automation: Document generation, POA&M tracking, audit prep
• Turnkey onboarding: Go from commercial to public sector-ready in ~90 days
• Support for DISA IL4: Ideal for dual-use or defense-oriented portfolio companies

For investors, that means:

• Faster conversion of pilots to paid deployments
• More RFP eligibility in less time
• Lower compliance cost and risk
• Increased competitiveness in public sector growth markets

What to Ask Portfolio Companies

Here are key diligence questions investors should ask before assuming a SaaS startup is government-ready:

• Are you pursuing FedRAMP Moderate or using an inherited boundary?
• Who owns the compliance roadmap internally? Is there a 3PAO involved?
• Do you understand which controls you inherit vs. build?
• What is your expected time to ATO or agency sponsorship?
• Are you working with a partner like Knox to reduce cost and accelerate?

TL;DR

FedRAMP isn’t just a security framework, it’s a go-to-market gate for SaaS companies selling to the U.S. government. Without a credible compliance path, startups can stall at the pilot stage and burn cash chasing authorization. Knox Systems helps investors de-risk their portfolio by offering FedRAMP-authorized infrastructure and compliance automation that gets products into the public sector faster, without compromising trust or innovation.

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Introduction: The Startup-to-DoD Gap

You've got a pilot with a defense innovation unit. Maybe you've even deployed a working MVP into a secure enclave. But now your team is staring at the wall between prototype and production: FedRAMP authorization.

For DoD-facing SaaS startups, this is the compliance cliff where timelines slip, budgets burn, and contracts stall. The traditional FedRAMP process takes 12–36 months—an eternity in startup years.

But it doesn’t have to. Here's a 90-day sprint plan that fast-tracks your readiness to scale in public sector environments.

Phase 1: Week 1–2 — Discovery and Planning

• Confirm which impact level you need (FedRAMP Moderate or DISA IL4)
• Identify your sponsoring agency or assess your JAB eligibility
• Choose a compliance model: inherit controls (Knox), build from scratch, or hybrid
• Map your current architecture against FedRAMP boundary expectations
• Assign internal lead for compliance coordination
• Engage Knox for shared boundary access and onboarding timeline

Output: Sprint kickoff deck, stakeholder alignment, preliminary control gap assessment

Phase 2: Week 3–5 — Documentation Foundation

• Begin drafting your System Security Plan (SSP)
• Define your customer responsibility matrix
• Upload policies and procedures into CMX (Knox’s compliance automation tool)
• Identify controls you will inherit via Knox’s FedRAMP-authorized infrastructure
• Draft your POA&M (Plan of Action and Milestones) for known gaps

Output: First SSP draft, control mapping in CMX, documentation package in progress

Phase 3: Week 6–8 — Technical Alignment and Validation

• Harden infrastructure and apply inherited Knox controls
• Conduct internal security testing (patching, access, alerting)
• Complete 3PAO prep review (or schedule with Knox’s partners)
• Validate log retention, encryption, vulnerability scanning and audit trail policies
• Stage any customer-facing compliance content (responsibility matrix, trust center updates)

Output: SSP v2, completed internal validation, external assessment window scheduled

Phase 4: Week 9–12 — External Review and Final Prep

• Conduct 3PAO readiness review or formal assessment if eligible
• Submit Significant Change Notification if boundary shift applies
• Finalize FedRAMP package (SSP, POA&M, SAR, etc.)
• Align go-to-market assets for public sector (FedRAMP-ready messaging, proposal templates)
• Prepare onboarding materials for agency security review

Output: Complete FedRAMP package, audit-ready posture, go-to-market launch checklist

The Knox Acceleration Layer

Knox helps DoD-oriented startups get to production faster by providing:

• A FedRAMP-authorized boundary with 80% control inheritance
• The CMX platform for automating SSP, POA&M, and evidence
• A 3PAO-ready template library that saves weeks of documentation time
• Expert onboarding support to navigate agency conversations

With Knox, most startups can achieve FedRAMP Moderate alignment in under 90 days and deliver into IL4 DoD environments without blowing up their engineering roadmap.

TL;DR

Startups building for the Department of Defense can’t afford to spend 18 - 36 months waiting for FedRAMP. This 90-day sprint plan shows how to go from prototype to production by leveraging shared infrastructure, smart planning, and automation. Knox Systems helps startups fast-track FedRAMP readiness and scale into defense contracts—without sacrificing speed, clarity, or innovation.

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The Challenge: Federal government and DoD Prime Contractors and the Compliance Burden

Government contractors are increasingly under pressure to ensure their subcontractors meet FedRAMP and DISA requirements when cloud services are involved. Whether it’s an integrator responding to a large IDIQ or a solutions prime onboarding innovative SaaS vendors, compliance bottlenecks can jeopardize proposals, timelines, and delivery.

The reality is that most subcontractors, especially startups or small SaaS vendors, do not have the time, infrastructure, or budget to pursue FedRAMP authorization on their own. Primes are left with a choice: exclude those vendors, absorb risk, or delay.

Knox offers a better way.

The Solution: Extend Knox’s FedRAMP-Authorized Boundary to Your Vendor Stack

Knox Systems provides a FedRAMP-authorized boundary-as-a-service that prime contractors can leverage to accelerate compliance for their entire delivery team. With Knox, subcontractors can plug into a pre-authorized infrastructure and inherit up to 80% of the security controls they would otherwise have to implement and document from scratch.

This means:

• No need to re-architect their platform
• No costly FedRAMP consulting engagements
• No 12- to 18-month delays

Instead, subcontractors can align with FedRAMP Moderate or DISA IL4 requirements in 90 days or less, with Knox providing the inherited controls, automated documentation, and continuous monitoring support.

Benefits for Prime Contractors

When you include Knox in your proposal stack:

*De-risk your subcontractors: Knox brings them into FedRAMP alignment quickly

*Win faster: Meet agency compliance expectations without the lag

*Improve scoring: Strengthen your response with a documented compliance plan

*Reduce program cost: Shared security means no redundant control implementation

*Offer scale: Knox supports multi-tenant onboarding for repeatable use

Whether you’re responding to a DoD RFP or a civilian agency task order, Knox can be the compliance muscle behind your modernization play.

The Knox Advantage: More Than Infrastructure

In addition to our FedRAMP boundary, Knox provides:

• CMX Platform — our compliance automation tool that simplifies documentation, POA&M tracking, and evidence generation
• Compliance Onboarding Kits — built specifically for subcontractors joining a FedRAMP or DISA-authorized solution
• Professional Services — advisory and documentation support to ensure each vendor is audit-ready

We work directly with primes to create pre-approved onboarding paths that your sub-awardees can follow.

Ready to Include Knox in Your Proposal Stack?

If you’re a government contractor looking to strengthen your proposals and accelerate delivery with compliant subcontractors, Knox is your trusted partner. We enable you to bring innovation to the table without compromising trust, security, or compliance.

Let’s talk about how to include Knox in your next bid.

Contact us today to build your compliance-enabled delivery team.

TL;DR

Prime contractors can significantly reduce risk and proposal delays by extending Knox’s FedRAMP-authorized infrastructure to their subcontractors. With Knox’s boundary-as-a-service and compliance automation tools, vendors can inherit key security controls and align with FedRAMP or DISA requirements in as little as 90 days—without rebuilding their tech stack or hiring consultants. It’s faster, cheaper, and purpose-built for government contracting success.

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So you’ve built a great SaaS product. You’ve found your market fit.
And now you’re eyeing the biggest buyer on the planet:
The United States Federal Government.

Smart move.

But here’s the catch:

The federal government doesn’t just buy functionality.
It buys security, compliance, and trust.

And unless you’ve got millions in the bank, 18–36 months to spare, and a full-time team of compliance engineers…

You need Knox.

The FedRAMP Barrier Is Real

To sell your SaaS to federal agencies, you need FedRAMP authorization.

And here’s what that typically means:

• Finding a sponsor (good luck)
  
  
• Writing a 400-page SSP
  
  
• Mapping your stack to NIST 800-53 line-by-line
  
  
• Hiring consultants to interpret control language
  
  
• Training your engineers to speak audit
  
  
• Waiting 12–36 months
  
  
• Spending $2–3M before you’re even on a contract

Let’s be honest: that’s not a launchpad.
That’s a wall.

What You Need Instead: Knox

Knox Systems was built to eliminate that wall.

If you want to sell your SaaS to the federal government, here’s what Knox gives you:‍

1. FedRAMP-Authorized Infrastructure

You inherit our FedRAMP Moderate boundary—fully compliant, already audited, continuously monitored.

You don’t rebuild your stack.
You don’t wait for a sponsor.
You start from done.

2. CMX: AI-Native Compliance Automation

CMX maps your infrastructure to NIST 800-53 in real time.

• Generates your SSP, POA&M, and evidence
  
  
• Detects compliance drift before it becomes a finding
  
  
• Tracks inherited vs. owned controls
  
  
• Outputs everything in OSCAL

Your audit package is always ready.
Your team never touches a spreadsheet.

3. 90–180 Day Readiness Timeline

You can be “FedRAMP In Process” and talking to federal buyers in a matter of weeks, not years.

Close deals faster
Join IDIQs, RFPs, and pilot programs
Show up already aligned—not asking for runway

4. You Focus on Your Product—We Handle Compliance

You keep building great software.
We handle:

• Logging
  
  
• Encryption
  
  
• Access control
  
  
• Vulnerability scans
  
  
• Documentation
  
  
• Monitoring
  
  
• Reporting

You ship.
We prove it’s secure.

Why This Matters

The agencies you want to sell to are asking questions like:

• “Can they deploy securely?”
  
  
• “Do they align with FedRAMP baselines?”
  
  
• “Are they ready to be onboarded—now?”

With Knox, your answer is always: YES.

TL;DR

You want to sell your SaaS to the federal government?
Then you need:

FedRAMP-ready infrastructure
Real-time compliance mapping
Continuous monitoring
Automated documentation
A trusted partner to accelerate your go-to-market

That’s what Knox delivers—out of the box.

Slow starts, manual spreadsheets, and million-dollar compliance lifts are out.
Fast, intelligent, ready-to-sell SaaS is in.

Let’s get you to market—the federal way.

‍

You’ve got the solution. Now here’s how agencies can actually buy it—without 18 months of red tape.

Here’s the truth most SaaS founders learn too late:
Federal agency buyers don’t just need your product to be secure.
They need a way to buy it quickly, cleanly, and compliantly.

If you don’t give them a path, they’ll pick someone who does.

That’s where procurement vehicles come in.
These are the pre-approved acquisition channels that let government agencies skip long RFP cycles and buy SaaS faster.

At Knox Systems, we help FedRAMP-ready SaaS vendors tap into the right vehicles at the right time—so deals move forward without bureaucratic stall-outs.

Here are the top ones you need to know:

1. GSA Schedule (MAS – Multiple Award Schedule)

The GSA Schedule is the OG of federal procurement.

• Used by almost every agency
  
  
• Supports software, cloud services, and subscriptions
  
  
• Offers pre-negotiated terms and pricing
  
  
• Great for long-term, repeat sales

Best for: SaaS companies with steady federal demand and a defined pricing model
Watch out for: Long onboarding time (6–12 months) unless you partner with a reseller‍

Hint: Already “In Process” with FedRAMP? Mention it—agencies look for that when sourcing from GSA Advantage.

2. SEWP (Solutions for Enterprise-Wide Procurement)

Run by NASA, but used across the federal government.

• Covers cloud, software, hardware, and services
  
  
• Very popular with DoD and civilian agencies
  
  
• Easy to access if you team with an authorized SEWP contract holder

Best for: Emerging tech, platform-as-a-service, and packaged solutions
Hint: You don’t need your own SEWP contract—partner with a prime or distributor who has one.

3. OTAs (Other Transaction Authorities)

The fast lane for innovation.

• Designed for R&D, prototypes, and emerging technologies
  
  
• Avoids FAR (Federal Acquisition Regulations)
  
  
• Faster procurement cycles—weeks, not months
  
  
• Often led by DoD and tech-forward civilian agencies‍

Best for: AI, cybersecurity, zero trust, and next-gen SaaS
Watch out for: Not all agencies have OTA authority—do your homework

Hint: Knox vendors who are FedRAMP “In Process” often use OTAs to get early adoption before full authorization.

4. BPAs (Blanket Purchase Agreements)

Think of this as the “set it and scale it” option.

• Once you’re on a BPA, agencies can issue orders without re-competing
  
  
• Streamlines procurement for recurring or scalable purchases
  
  
• BPAs can be single-agency or multi-agency

Best for: SaaS companies expecting multiple task orders or agency expansion

Hint: Pairing a BPA with a FedRAMP-ready platform like Knox makes expansion low-risk and procurement-ready.

5. StateRAMP & Local Purchasing Co-ops

Don't forget the state and local market:

• StateRAMP is gaining traction as a cloud security standard
  
  
• Purchasing co-ops (like NASPO ValuePoint) help states and municipalities leverage shared contracts

Best for: SaaS vendors targeting SLG (state/local government) alongside federal

FACT: CMX helps align your documentation across both FedRAMP and StateRAMP with shared evidence and control mappings.

How Knox Helps You Move Faster

Procurement vehicles move faster when your:

Security posture is strong
Compliance evidence is ready
Infrastructure is FedRAMP-inheritable
SSPs and POA&Ms are auto-generated in OSCAL

That’s what Knox + CMX gives you—so you show up ready to buy, not just “interested.”

TL;DR

Your SaaS is secure.
Your pricing is competitive.
But if agencies don’t have a way to buy you quickly, you’re stuck.

GSA, SEWP, OTAs, BPAs = Faster lanes to federal sales
Knox + CMX = Trusted infrastructure + real-time compliance artifacts
Partnerships = Entry into vehicles without red tape

Waiting for the next RFP cycle is out.
Fast-track procurement is in.

Let’s open the lanes—and get you in.

‍

For SaaS vendors eyeing the federal market, there’s one term you’re going to hear a lot before “ATO” or “In Process”:

FedRAMP-Ready Baseline

And if you're not paying attention to it? You’re already behind.

What Is a FedRAMP-Ready Baseline?

It’s the security blueprint you need to prove your system can eventually meet FedRAMP standards.

Think of it as your minimum viable security posture—the technical and documentation foundation that lets the FedRAMP PMO (or a sponsoring agency) take you seriously.

But here's the kicker:

You don’t have to be perfect. You have to be intentional.

FedRAMP-Ready means:

• You’ve selected a FedRAMP baseline (Low, Moderate, or High)
  
  
• You’ve documented your system boundary and control implementations
  
  
• You’ve engaged with a Third Party Assessment Organization (3PAO) to perform a Readiness Assessment
  
  
• You can demonstrate maturity across key control families like Access Control, Audit & Accountability, and Incident Response

Why Should You Care?

Because “FedRAMP-Ready” is no longer optional.

It’s the gate that gets you on the radar of agency sponsors
It signals to federal buyers that you take security seriously
It accelerates your path to “In Process” and eventual ATO
It sets your GTM motion in motion—with credibility

Without it, you’re not even in the waiting room. You’re stuck in the parking lot.

What Not to Do

Wait until you have a sponsor to start documenting controls
Build in isolation without understanding FedRAMP-specific inheritance
Assume SOC 2 = “close enough”
Treat the FedRAMP-Ready status like a paperwork milestone—it’s a product posture

What We Do at Knox

At Knox Systems, we’ve flipped the traditional “build then hope” approach to FedRAMP.

Our platform includes:

Pre-authorized boundary that maps to FedRAMP Moderate
Automated inheritance of security controls from day one
AI-native documentation generation to support readiness assessments
Real-time scanning and mapping with CMX—our compliance intelligence engine

You’re not just checking boxes—you’re demonstrating a credible, inspectable, auditable posture from the start.

TL;DR

If FedRAMP is in your future, “FedRAMP-Ready” should be in your present.

It’s your first real credential in the federal market.
It’s your foundation for faster ATO.
It’s how you stop talking about compliance and start showing it.

Procrastination is out.
Pre-authorization alignment is in.

Let’s get ready—together.

‍

Thank you to the Agency CIO's who met with us and helped us compile this analysis.

Here's a cheat sheet for SaaS vendors who want to sell to the federal government—and stay on the shortlist.

You’ve got product-market fit.
You’re eyeing your first federal contract.
You’re working on FedRAMP readiness.

But there’s one question that still trips up even the most promising SaaS companies:

“What exactly do federal CIOs care about when they evaluate security?”

Hint: it’s not just whether you say you’re secure.

At Knox Systems, we work with SaaS vendors who are ready to sell to the government—but need help showing up like a trusted partner. That starts with understanding what buyers, especially CIOs and CISO teams, are looking for.‍

1. Real-Time Visibility, Not Point-in-Time Reports

Static PDFs don’t cut it anymore.

CIOs want:

Live dashboards of control status
Evidence that maps directly to NIST 800-53
Continuous monitoring—automated and verifiable
Change logs and drift alerts (bonus if tied to your CI/CD)

With CMX, SaaS vendors show up with real-time compliance telemetry, not just a folder full of attachments.

2. Clear Boundaries and Shared Responsibility

CIOs want to know:

• Where your system boundary ends
  
  
• What parts of your stack are FedRAMP inherited
  
  
• What controls you fully own
  
  
• How you've documented those relationships

Knox’s pre-authorized boundary makes this crystal clear and CMX auto-maps it to control coverage.

3. Structured, Machine-Readable Documentation (OSCAL)

The government is moving fast toward automation, and OSCAL is the new standard.

CIOs and AO teams want:

SSPs, POA&Ms, and inventories in OSCAL
Auto-validated packages that reduce review cycles
Documentation that can plug into agency review systems

CMX is OSCAL-native—meaning your docs are machine-readable and ready for reuse.

4. Evidence of Zero Trust Alignment

Since Executive Order 14028, Zero Trust is non-negotiable.

Federal CIOs want to see:

• Identity-based access
  
  
• Microsegmentation
  
  
• Continuous authentication
  
  
• Audit-ready access logs
  
  
• API-level monitoring

Knox’s shared infrastructure already meets many ZTA requirements—so your app layers plug right into a secure foundation.

5. Automation, Not Manual Compliance

Manual spreadsheets scream “immature posture.”

What wins confidence?

Automated compliance monitoring
Policy-as-code enforcement
Real-time alerts and auto-remediation
No consultants required to understand your stack

CMX reduces audit prep from weeks to minutes—and your buyers can see it live.

6. Operational Readiness

The CIO’s office doesn’t just ask “Are you secure?”
They ask: “Are you ready to operate in our environment?”

That means:

• Role-based access controls
  
  
• Dedicated Fed support tiers
  
  
• FedRAMP packages they can evaluate
  
  
• Incident response playbooks
  
  
• Multi-agency reuse potential

With Knox, vendors are operationally aligned from Day 1—so onboarding is measured in weeks, not quarters.

TL;DR

Federal CIOs are done taking vendors at their word.
They want posture, visibility, and automation.

Real-time dashboards
OSCAL-native documentation
Shared boundaries and mapped controls
Zero Trust alignment
Continuous, verifiable compliance

Assumed security is out.
Operational trust is in.

Let’s help you speak the language of the CIO—and win the room before your demo even starts.

‍

29 April, 2025 — Spacelift, the platform for infrastructure as code (IaC) management and automation, has selected Knox Systems, the fastest path to FedRAMP, to achieve FedRAMP authorization and expand access to U.S. Government customers.

This partnership enables Spacelift to deliver its secure and scalable IaC platform to federal agencies by leveraging Knox’s purpose-built, FedRAMP-ready cloud environment—reducing time-to-authorization from years to months, and eliminating the need for traditional agency sponsorship.

“We’re thrilled to partner with Knox to bring Spacelift’s automation and control capabilities to the U.S. Government,” said Pawel Hytry, CEO of Spacelift. “Their purpose-built boundary and streamlined FedRAMP approach make it possible for fast-moving companies like ours to meet the government’s high bar for security—without slowing down our roadmap.”

“Spacelift is exactly the kind of modern, developer-first platform we want to bring to government buyers,” said Irina Denisenko, CEO of Knox. “We’re excited to help them unlock a massive new market while empowering agencies to manage infrastructure more securely and efficiently.”

Spacelift is now on track to achieve FedRAMP authorization in record time, bringing flexible, policy-driven infrastructure automation to federal developers and DevSecOps teams.

About Knox Systems
Knox is the fastest way for SaaS vendors to get FedRAMP-ready and sell to the U.S. Government. Learn more at knoxsystems.com.

About Spacelift
Spacelift is the most flexible management platform for IaC frameworks like Terraform, Pulumi, and CloudFormation. Learn more at spacelift.io.

‍

We’re proud to announce that Knox Systems has joined the OpenPolicy ecosystem, a coalition of forward-thinking companies including Wiz, Kiteworks, Armis, and others working to drive innovative cybersecurity, AI and government acquisition policies

As the AI revolution accelerates, the federal government faces a pivotal moment: adopt faster, smarter technologies or risk falling behind.Modernization is no longer a long-term goal. It’s an urgent priority. Agencies need secure, compliant pathways to adopt commercial innovation, especiallyAI-driven solutions, without years of red tape. Innovators and policy makers need to work closely together.

“AI is reshaping every industry, and the public sector is no exception,” said Irina Denisenko, CEO of Knox. “Knox exists to make it easy for innovative SaaS and AI vendors to serve government missions securely and at speed. JoiningOpenPolicy allows us to align our development and GTM to emerging policy and advance that mission alongside other leaders committed to driving thoughtful cybersecurity policies and getting cutting-edge tech into the hands of agencies who need it most.”

“The government can’t afford to get left behind in the AI era,” said Amit Elazari, CEO of OpenPolicy. “Knox brings deep FedRAMP and infrastructure expertise to the network, helping commercial companies overcome the compliance and procurement hurdles that have long slowed public sector innovation.”

Together, Knox and OpenPolicy are:

●     Unlocking access to secure, compliant cloud infrastructure for AI and SaaS

●     Helping federal buyers adopt commercial innovation faster

●     Enabling a more efficient, mission-driven government powered by modern tools

This partnership is a leap forward for government IT, and a step closer to making AI and advanced software truly accessible across the public sector.

Learn more at knoxsystems.com and openpolicy.co.

For SaaS companies eyeing the federal market, FedRAMP isn’t just a compliance hurdle. It’s a cost center. The traditional path to authorization can run well into seven figures, with timelines that stretch 24 months or longer. Between consultants, infrastructure, documentation, and audit prep, many startups end up spending more on the process than they’ll make from their first federal deal.

At Knox, we built our platform to flip that model on its head. Instead of burning budget on one-off builds, you can plug into Knox’s pre-authorized infrastructure, inherit hundreds of security controls, and get to market faster, without sacrificing trust or audit readiness. The result? Massive savings in time, capital, and engineering effort.

Let’s look at the numbers:

Traditional FedRAMP Costs:

• $500K–$2M+ in advisory, documentation, and security tooling
• 12–18 months of internal engineering and product delay
• Wait an additional 12-18 months for that ATO, which you may or may not obtain
• Redundant investment in infrastructure and monitoring

With Knox:

• Shared, FedRAMP-authorized boundary
• Managed compliance, CMX-powered monitoring
• Pre-built documentation and control inheritance
• Timeline: as little as 90 days
• Cost: $350K

So... What’s It Worth ToYou?

Every SaaS company is different. That’s why we built a tool to help you model your own FedRAMP savings based on your infrastructure, staffing, and compliance stage.

Use the Knox SavingsCalculator: https://www.knoxsystems.com/pricing

Whether you're just starting or already deep in the FedRAMP journey, the calculator will show you how much you can save, and how fast you can move, with Knox as your FedRAMP compliance infrastructure partner.

Ready to move faster and spend smarter?

The federal market is full of opportunity, but only if you can get there without burning out your roadmap and your bank account. At Knox, we’re helping SaaS companies cut costs, accelerate ATOs, and win trust without compromise.

Let’s open the gate.

#FedRAMP20X #CloudSecurity #GovTech #CMX #ComplianceAutomation #StartupGrowth

Thinking about going federal? Your SOC 2 might get you halfway there—but only if you know what translates.

For many SaaS vendors, a SOC 2 Type II report is the first real milestone on the journey to trust. It signals to customers—especially in enterprise and regulated sectors—that you take security and controls seriously.

But when it’s time to move into the federal market, the question becomes:

“How far does SOC 2 get us toward FedRAMP?”

Spoiler: It helps. A lot. But it’s not a shortcut. You still have to fill in some critical gaps.

At Knox Systems, we help high-growth SaaS vendors bridge the gap from SOC 2 to FedRAMP every day. Here’s what actually translates—and what you’ll need to level up.

What You Can Reuse from SOC 2

SOC 2 and FedRAMP are built on different frameworks, but they share common DNA. If you’ve already completed a SOC 2 Type II, you’re likely to reuse:

Policies & Procedures

• Access control
  
  
• Change management
  
  
• Encryption standards
  
  
• Incident response
  
  
• Vendor management

Pro Tip: Make sure they’re mapped to specific NIST 800-53 controls. CMX can automate that.

Risk Assessments & Audit Evidence

SOC 2 requires documented risk management and control testing. FedRAMP will want to see this too—just in more granular, structured form (ideally in OSCAL).

Security Mindset & Culture

If your teams are already used to managing security controls, conducting reviews, and maintaining audit trails, you're well-prepared to handle the rigor of FedRAMP.

What Changes When You Go FedRAMP

Here’s where the shift gets real—and where most SaaS vendors need help.

Control Depth and Granularity

FedRAMP (based on NIST 800-53) goes much deeper than SOC 2:

• 325+ controls for Moderate
  
  
• Multiple enhancements per control
  
  
• Explicit requirements for logging, access provisioning, key management, continuous monitoring, and more

SOC 2 might ask "do you encrypt?" FedRAMP asks: "How, when, where, and is it logged and monitored continuously?"

Documentation Requirements

SOC 2 deliverables = audit report
FedRAMP deliverables = full-blown System Security Plan (SSP), POA&M, Inventory Lists, Control Implementation Summaries, and more.

Knox’s CMX engine generates all of this automatically—no 400-page Word doc writing marathons.

Assessment Rigor

SOC 2 is a point-in-time audit by a CPA firm.
FedRAMP involves:

• A third-party assessment organization (3PAO)
  
  
• Ongoing review by the Joint Authorization Board or an agency
  
  
• Continuous monitoring expectations

This is where CMX’s real-time compliance monitoring pays off—you’re always audit-ready.

Sponsorship and Boundary Scoping

SOC 2 doesn’t care how your infrastructure is set up.
FedRAMP cares a lot—including how your boundary is defined, what’s inherited, and how you segment workloads.

With Knox’s pre-authorized boundary, you inherit 80%+ of what’s required—so you focus on your app, not your architecture.

The Big Picture: SOC 2 Is a Foundation, Not a Passport

If you’ve achieved SOC 2 compliance, you're not starting from scratch.

But FedRAMP is a different animal—one designed for higher assurance, deeper transparency, and greater scrutiny.

The good news? With the right platform (hello, Knox), you can reuse your work, fill the gaps intelligently, and get to “In Process” status in 90–180 days—not years.

TL;DR

SOC 2 = Solid foundation
FedRAMP = Higher bar, deeper controls, more structure

Reuse your policies, procedures, and audit readiness
Automate your control mapping and evidence with CMX
Inherit the hard parts via Knox’s FedRAMP-authorized boundary

Manual remapping is out.
Smart reuse + automation is in.

Let’s build on what you’ve already

‍

In legacy FedRAMP programs, continuous monitoring was a checkbox, a quarterly task, and a static report that told you what went wrong weeks after it happened.

Not anymore.

Knox CMX is redefining Continuous Monitoring for SaaS companies that move fast.

What Is Knox CMX? CMX is the AI-native compliance engine built by KnoxSystems to power real-time, always-on compliance.

It’s not just a reporting tool.It’s not just a dashboard. It’s a full-stack intelligence layer that monitors, remediates, and predicts risk across your infrastructure.

Here’s a 3 minute demo to show you exactly how it works: https://www.knoxsystems.com/product

Real-Time RiskIntelligence

CMX ingests your infrastructure data, such as Git repos, IaC, runtime configs and continuously maps it to FedRAMP (NIST 800-53), SOC 2, and other control frameworks.

If something drifts? If a change violates policy?  CMX flags it instantly and proposes a fix.

Automated Remediation

CMX doesn’t just diagnose.

It suggests code-based remediation, and in many cases, auto-generates the code to fix drift or misconfiguration.

CMX goes further, and:

·       Analyzes control drift and root causes

·       Recommends policy changes or infra updates

·       DraftsPOA&Ms, SSP updates, and evidence logs using generative AI

·       Flags risks before they trigger findings

The result? A continuously learning system that evolves with your infrastructure and your threat model.

Imagine this:

CMX detects an unencryptedS3 bucket.
Suggests Terraform remediation script.
Issues a PR to your repo.
You approve the fix in seconds.

No tickets. No bottlenecks. No lag time.

Tied Directly to YourCI/CD Pipeline. Developer-First. Always On.

CMX is built to run with your dev cycle, not beside it.

It integrates with GitHubActions, GitLab CI, Jenkins, and more to:

·      Enforce policy pre-merge

·      Scan infra pre-deploy

·      Auto-document every control change for your audit trail

You don’t have to chase compliance anymore. Compliance moves with you.

FedRAMP ConMon, Reimagined

With CMX, your FedRAMPContinuous Monitoring isn’t a quarterly fire drill.

It’s a living system that:

• Auto-generates POA&Ms
• Tracks inherited and hybrid controls
• Updates SSPs in real time
• Flags and fixes misalignments before they become findings

TL;DR

Continuous Monitoring used to mean reactive audits and stale spreadsheets.

With CMX, it now means:

Real-time mapping to FedRAMP, DISA, NIST, and SOC 2
Auto-remediation of compliance drift
Dev pipeline integration
Always-on audit readiness

If your SaaS company is serious about scaling securely, CMX is how you do it at velocity.

Static quarterly reviews are out.
Intelligent, real-time compliance and remediation with Knox CMX is in.

‍

SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK — April 24, 2025

‍Knox Systems and RapidFort are excited to announce a strategic partnership, bringing together two mission-driven teams committed to transforming how secure software reaches the U.S. Government.

By combining Knox’s FedRAMP-ready cloud platform—purpose-built for SaaS vendors—with RapidFort’s runtime attack surface reduction technology, we’re helping modern software companies meet the government's security and compliance requirements faster, more efficiently, and without compromise.

Together, we’re advancing our shared mission: unlocking access to cutting-edge commercial software for government agencies by streamlining compliance and strengthening application security.

“RapidFort’s ability to automatically harden workloads is a game changer for any company targeting FedRAMP,” said Irina Denisenko, CEO of Knox. “They help vendors ship secure software with confidence—faster and with less overhead. We're proud to partner with a team that shares our vision of accelerating access to innovation in government.”

“Knox has reimagined the path to FedRAMP in a way that makes it truly achievable for today’s SaaS vendors,” said Mehran Farimani, CEO of RapidFort. “We’re thrilled to partner with them to make software more secure and more accessible to the agencies that need it most.”

This partnership empowers SaaS vendors to:

• Achieve FedRAMP authorization in record time with Knox
• Secure their workloads and reduce software attack surfaces with RapidFort
• Deliver modern, compliant solutions that meet mission-critical needs

The future of government software is faster, safer, and more open—and we’re proud to be building it together.

Learn more at knoxsystems.com and rapidfort.com.

‍

(Spoiler: Yes, If They Want Federal $$)

When early-stage companies talk about product-market fit, they’re usually thinking about commercial buyers—not the U.S. federal government. And that’s a mistake.

Because if your startup is building a SaaS product with security, scale, and potential for critical infrastructure use—there’s a $100B+ federal IT market waiting for you. But there’s a catch, and its name is FedRAMP.

The Compliance Roadblock That Scares Startups Off

FedRAMP (the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) is the mandatory security framework for any cloud provider selling to the federal government. It’s notoriously complex, expensive, and slow—think 3–5 years and $3M+ slow.

So most startups—understandably—assume it’s something to “worry about later.”

But here’s the twist: by the time you're ready, it's often too late.

If you wait until a federal opportunity lands in your inbox, and you're not FedRAMP-compliant, the deal is already slipping away.

Flip the Script: Compliance as a Go-to-Market Advantage

This is exactly where Knox Systems comes in.

We built the first FedRAMP-compliant cloud platform purpose-built for SaaS vendors. With Knox, startups can become FedRAMP-ready in just 90 days, at 90% lower cost, and without needing your own agency sponsor.

That means you don’t have to delay your roadmap, hire a team of compliance specialists, or containerize your architecture just to access federal buyers. We meet you where you are—whether you’re running monoliths or microservices.

Why Startups Should Absolutely Care

Let’s get specific. Here’s why your startup should prioritize FedRAMP early:

• Revenue Diversification: Government contracts are stable, high-value, and long-term.
  
  
• Faster Sales Cycles: Pre-authorized platforms like Knox let you say yes to buyers with short timelines.
  
  
• Increased Valuation: Investors love startups with public sector traction and regulatory readiness.
  
  
• Market Differentiation and Competitive Advantage: Most startups aren’t FedRAMP-compliant. You’ll stand out immediately.
  
  
• Security Maturity: Even beyond federal sales, FedRAMP alignment improves your trust posture with all enterprise buyers.
  ‍

TL;DR

Startups shouldn’t wait until they’re “ready” to think about FedRAMP. If federal contracts are even remotely in your vision—Knox can get you there faster, cheaper, and smarter than you ever thought possible.

Let your competitors ignore FedRAMP. You’ll be winning contracts while they’re Googling “ATO meaning.”

‍

Let’s talk about the number that defines a broken system:

How many cloud service providers currently hold an active FedRAMP authorization in the United States?
About 400.

Out of tens of thousands of innovative SaaS vendors in the U.S., only a sliver are cleared to serve the federal government.

Why?

Because the system wasn’t built to scale.
But at Knox Systems, we’re here to fix that.

Why FedRAMP Has Been So Hard to Access

It’s not that vendors aren’t secure.
It’s that the path to proving it is wildly inefficient.

Here’s what the traditional FedRAMP journey looks like:

• Secure a government sponsor (takes 6–18 months—if you’re lucky)
  
  
• Hire a consultant to interpret NIST 800-53 line by line
  
  
• Re-architect your infrastructure to fit FedRAMP templates
  
  
• Spend $2–4M+ before you’re even eligible for a contract
  
  
• Wait another 12–24 months for ATO
  
  

That’s 2–3 years of sunk time and millions of dollars—just to get to the starting line.
And worse: the vendors who can afford this process aren’t always the most innovative or secure.

How Knox Is Opening the Gate for Many, Many More

At Knox, we believe FedRAMP should be accessible, scalable, and developer-friendly.

So we built a new model—one designed to make security infrastructure as composable as cloud compute.

Here’s how we’re unlocking the market:

1. Pre-Authorized FedRAMP Boundary

SaaS vendors inherit our fully compliant infrastructure, eliminating the need to build FedRAMP from scratch.

You get 80%+ of the Moderate baseline covered on Day 1.

2. CMX: AI-Native Compliance Engine

CMX maps your infrastructure to FedRAMP (and other frameworks) in real time.

• No spreadsheets
  
  
• No consultants
  
  
• No lag
  
  
• Just real-time posture, evidence, and auto-generated SSPs

3. 90-Day Go-to-Market Timeline

We replace years of red tape with weeks of alignment.

CMX + shared infrastructure = “FedRAMP In Process” in as little as 90 days—no agency sponsor required.

4. Built for Scale, Not Scarcity

Everything we’ve built—from inheritance models to continuous monitoring—is designed to support thousands of SaaS vendors, not a select few.

That’s the difference between a certification path and a compliance platform.

This Is About More Than FedRAMP

It’s about equity in federal innovation.

If only the well-funded, well-connected vendors can get through the gate, the government loses access to:

• Startup innovation
  
  
• Niche expertise
  
  
• ‍Sector-specific tools (EdTech, HealthTech, AI, CivicTech)
  
  
• Next-gen security platforms
  
  

The public sector deserves access to the full spectrum of cloud innovation—not just the ones who can afford 36 months of consultants.

Knox is here to make that possible.

TL;DR

There are only about 400 FedRAMP authorized vendors today because the system wasn’t designed to scale.

Knox changes that—with AI-native compliance, shared security infrastructure, and 90-day readiness
We’re building for 1,000s of vendors to go federal—faster, cheaper, smarter
The gate is open. The future is distributed. Let’s build it together.

Exclusivity is out.
Access is in.

‍

Ask any SaaS founder who’s gone through FedRAMP:

“What was the hardest part?”
And they’ll likely say:
Building infrastructure that satisfies NIST 800-53 controls
Tracking down evidence
Burning budget on security tooling for controls they barely understood

Here’s the problem: most SaaS companies don’t need to own their entire compliance stack.
They just need a smart way to inherit security that already exists.

At Knox Systems, we make that possible—by offering a FedRAMP-authorized shared boundary that takes care of over 80% of the Moderate baseline out of the box.

It’s called Security by Inheritance, and it’s how we’re unlocking FedRAMP for the 1,000s of SaaS vendors stuck on the sidelines.

What’s the Knox FedRAMP Boundary?

It’s a fully operational, compliant, continuously monitored infrastructure environment that:

Meets FedRAMP Moderate control requirements
Has already been assessed and authorized
Can be inherited by SaaS vendors deploying their apps inside it

Think of it as your prebuilt foundation.
You still own your application logic—but the heavy lifting of security is already done.

What Knox Covers for You

When you deploy on the Knox boundary, we handle:

• Physical + network security (PE, SC, AC control families)
  
  
• Continuous monitoring (AU, SI, IR controls)
  
  
• Encryption, identity, access logging, audit policies
  
  
• Control documentation, evidence collection, OSCAL formatting
  
  
• POA&M generation + compliance dashboards
  
  
• Automated drift detection and remediation via CMX

That’s over 80% of FedRAMP Moderate controls handled before you write a single policy.

What You Focus On Instead

With Knox, you only need to manage:

• Your application’s data flow + handling (e.g., PIIs, APIs)
  
  
• Identity management inside your product
  
  
• App-level access controls
  
  
• Your own feature-level logs, alerts, and testing

In other words: you secure what you build—we secure everything else.

The Results

Smaller compliance surface area
Less scope = fewer controls to document
Lower risk = faster “In Process” status
Reduced cost = no need to build and secure your own FedRAMP infra
Higher confidence = your app runs on a platform that’s already trusted by federal buyers

Bonus: This Isn’t Just Faster. It’s Smarter.

Inheriting controls doesn’t just speed things up—it increases control fidelity.

Because Knox’s controls are standardized, audited, and continuously monitored, you benefit from:

• Less duplication of controls
  
  
• More consistent evidence
  
  
• Higher trust from 3PAOs and agency partners
  
  
• Better alignment with FedRAMP reuse strategies
  
  

TL;DR

You don’t need to rebuild your SaaS for FedRAMP.
You just need the right foundation.

Knox’s FedRAMP boundary covers 80%+ of required controls
You inherit infrastructure-level security, evidence, and documentation
You focus only on your app-layer risks
You get to market faster—with less overhead

Building everything from scratch is out.
Smart, inherited security is in.

At KNOX we make FedRAMP accessible—for everyone.

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For years, security in federal procurement was all about one thing:‍

“Do you have a FedRAMP ATO?”

But in 2025, that checkbox doesn’t carry the weight it used to.

Why? Because FedRAMP alone isn’t enough anymore.
Agencies are under pressure to move faster, reduce risk sooner, and prove continuous security—not just point-in-time compliance.

At Knox Systems, we’re seeing a new standard emerge:
Evidence-first trust
Real-time posture transparency
Security by design, not by checklist

What Federal Buyers Really Want Now

Procurement teams are no longer satisfied with "ATO or not."
They’re asking smarter questions:

Can you show real-time compliance status?
Is your infrastructure monitored continuously?
How fast can you remediate security drift?
Can we see your SSP in OSCAL?
Are your controls automated or manual?

They want signals of maturity, not marketing slides.

New Trust Signals Replacing the Checkbox

Here’s what matters more than a framed ATO certificate:‍

1. Evidence Readiness

Buyers want instant access to validated artifacts:

• Log trails
  
  
• Access records
  
  
• Config snapshots
  
  
• Control implementation detail
  
  
• Auto-generated POA&Ms and SSPs in OSCAL

With CMX, all of this is live, exportable, and tied to the right control in real time.‍

2. Posture Dashboards

Can you show your compliance health right now, not last quarter?

CMX gives vendors a living dashboard that:

• Maps controls to evidence
  
  
• Tracks inherited vs. owned responsibility
  
  
• Flags drift and unresolved risks
  
  
• Is always 3PAO- and agency-ready

This is what buyers use to triage and trust.

3. Security by Design

It’s no longer enough to bolt on a FedRAMP package after launch.

SaaS vendors are now evaluated on:

• Infrastructure segmentation
  
  
• Access governance
  
  
• How compliance integrates into CI/CD
  
  
• Whether remediation is manual or automated

This is why Knox’s shared boundary and Knox CMX are so powerful:
You don’t just meet requirements—you’re built for trust.

This Shift Is Good News

If you’re a fast-moving SaaS company that:

Automates control coverage
Inherits hardened infrastructure
Has real-time evidence and dashboards
Builds with GRC in the pipeline

Then you’re already more trustworthy than legacy players who took 3 years to pass a FedRAMP checklist.

This is your competitive edge.

TL;DR

FedRAMP is still important—but it’s no longer the whole story.

Federal buyers are prioritizing real-time posture, automated controls, and actionable visibility
Evidence readiness and trust telemetry win more than slow-moving ATOs
Knox and CMX give you all of that—out of the box

Checkbox compliance is out.
Intelligent, transparent security is in.

Let’s show the government what modern SaaS really looks like.

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