IT Security and Privacy Standards in Comparison: Improving FedRAMP Authorization for Cloud Service Providers

To demonstrate compliance with privacy and security principles, information technology (IT) service providers often rely on security standards and certifications. However, the appearance of new service models such as cloud computing has brought new threats to information assurance, weakening the protection that existing standards can provide. In this study, we analyze four highly regarded IT security standards used to assess, improve, and demonstrate information systems assurance and cloud security. ISO/IEC 27001, SOC 2, C5, and FedRAMP are standards adopted worldwide and constantly updated and improved since the first release of ISO in 2005. We examine their adequacy in addressing current threats to cloud security, and provide an overview of the evolution over the years of their ability to cope with threats and vulnerabilities. By comparing the standards alongside each other, we investigate their complementarity, their redundancies, and the level of protection they offer to information stored in cloud systems. We unveil vulnerabilities left unaddressed in the four frameworks, thus questioning the necessity of multiple standards to assess cloud assurance. We suggest necessary improvements to meet the security requirements made indispensable by the current threat landscape.