From SOC 2 to FedRAMP: What Actually Changes (and What You Can Reuse)

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

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