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The journey toward SOC 2 can feel daunting: fragmented documentation, unclear control mapping, and labor-intensive evidence collection often slow progress and increase audit risk. That’s where compliance platforms come in.

These technology-driven solutions promise to streamline the entire SOC 2 process, from readiness assessments and control implementation to continuous monitoring and audit preparation. However, with so many platforms claiming to simplify compliance, most businesses ask two questions: Do I need a platform, and which one is right for me?

This article explores compliance platforms’ role in managing SOC 2 requirements, what capabilities matter most, and how they compare to traditional audit preparation methods.

Awareness Continuum GRC

Automapping CMMC Practices to NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP: Challenges and Strategies

May 14, 2025 Continuum GRC 0 Comment

Automapping CMMC practices to other compliance frameworks such as NIST 800-53, ISO 27001, and FedRAMP is an attractive option for security teams managing complex regulatory landscapes. On paper, many of these frameworks cover overlapping domains: access control, audit logging, incident response, risk assessment, and system configuration management.

However, the practical reality of automating reveals significant challenges that require deep architectural strategies, not surface-level crosswalks.

To build an effective automapping solution, organizations must address fundamental differences in structure, intent, and evolution across these frameworks and recognize that simple one-to-one mappings often miss critical nuances essential for proper compliance.

Awareness Frameworks

FedRAMP and FIPS 140-2/140-3 Encryption Validation

May 7, 2025 Continuum GRC 0 Comment

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Achieving FedRAMP authorization requires a hardened approach to cryptographic validation beyond shallow ciphers. For CSPs, simply saying that you use AES-256 or support TLS without verified, validated cryptographic modules introduces fatal flaws into authorization efforts.

To succeed, CSPs must build systems that assume validation is an operational need and not something they do after the fact. They must also recognize that misinterpretations of FIPS requirements can derail otherwise sound security architectures during 3PAO audits or agency reviews.