Kubernetes FedRAMP Compliance: A Practical Guide for Cloud-Native Teams

FedRAMP (short for Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) sets the bar for how U.S. federal agencies evaluate, authorize, and monitor cloud products and services. It is not just a security framework. It is a mandate for vendors aiming to work in highly regulated, high-stakes environments.

Kubernetes FedRAMP compliance isn’t optional if you’re serious about winning federal contracts. It is the gateway to trust, scale, and mission-critical workloads in sectors where security cannot fail. For platform teams running applications on Kubernetes, meeting these requirements is about more than ticking boxes. It is about proving your ability to secure cloud-native infrastructure under the toughest scrutiny.

In this guide, you’ll get a clear, practical look at what FedRAMP compliance means, how Kubernetes fits into the equation, and how to meet requirements without sacrificing development speed or innovation.

Key highlights:

• Kubernetes FedRAMP compliance unlocks access to federal cloud contracts.

• Core requirements include RBAC, logging, and continuous monitoring.

• A checklist-driven approach and automation reduce manual burden.

• Mirantis provides Kubernetes solutions engineered for FedRAMP alignment.

What is FedRAMP?

FedRAMP, short for Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, is the U.S. government’s framework for assessing the security of cloud services sold to federal agencies. It standardizes how cloud systems are evaluated, authorized, and continuously monitored.

At its foundation, FedRAMP builds on NIST SP 800-53 security controls and requires regular audits by certified Third-Party Assessment Organizations (3PAOs). If you want your Kubernetes-powered applications or platforms to play in the federal space, FedRAMP is the path forward.

For Kubernetes platform teams, the program’s requirements are designed to:

• Cover Low, Moderate, and High baselines depending on data sensitivity

• Apply to all cloud services sold to federal agencies

• Require continuous monitoring and annual reassessments

• Depend on 3PAOs for independent validation

• Align with frameworks like FISMA and the DoD Cloud Computing SRG

What Is the Importance of Being FedRAMP Compliant?

If your business has any connection to the federal government or public sector, FedRAMP compliance is non-negotiable. It is not a checkbox. It is a license to operate in one of the most scrutinized, high-stakes environments in the cloud.

Failing to meet FedRAMP requirements can be costly. Here is what is at risk:

• Loss of credibility with government customers who require trusted, pre-vetted vendors

• Missed revenue from federal contracts and multi-year procurement cycles

• Disqualification from RFPs and exposure to legal or compliance penalties

• Greater risk of security breaches, especially when you are seen as the weakest link

Achieving FedRAMP compliance, all the way down to your Kubernetes stack, creates a strategic advantage. Here's why:

Unlock Access to Federal Contracts

FedRAMP opens the door to lucrative opportunities with U.S. federal agencies. As a baseline requirement for most cloud providers, it positions your organization to bid on and win high-value, long-term contracts across civilian and defense sectors. 

It’s a prerequisite for most federal cloud deals, as agencies prioritize vendors with pre-approved security postures. Without it, you are disqualified before you can compete. With it, you gain access to long-term, high-value contracts across civilian and defense agencies.

Elevate Your Security Posture

FedRAMP raises the bar for how your organization approaches security. By adopting its rigorous standards, you build a stronger foundation to protect sensitive data, respond to threats faster, and earn greater trust from your stakeholders.

It forces rigor and discipline into your security program as you implement:

•  Stronger access controls

• Data protections

• Response workflows

Compliance with FedRAMP pushes your organization to mature operationally, not just technically, and these improvements carry over to every customer, not just federal ones.

Maintain Consistency Across Environments

Achieving FedRAMP compliance drives operational consistency across all your environments. Standardized controls and policies simplify management, reduce errors, and give teams the confidence to innovate without compromising security or speed. Compliance encourages standardization as the same guardrails and controls apply across clouds and environments. 

This consistency reduces friction, accelerates audits, and improves developer experience, helping you gain repeatability and trust without sacrificing speed.

Kubernetes FedRAMP Compliance Requirements

To comply with FedRAMP while running Kubernetes, your platform needs to meet a set of core security control areas. These categories map directly to NIST 800-53 requirements. Let’s take a closer look.

The level of control increases based on your target baseline: low, moderate, or high impact.

FedRAMP Compliance Checklist for Enterprises

FedRAMP compliance is not a quick fix. It is a multi-step process that requires collaboration among engineering, security, and compliance teams. This checklist outlines the core building blocks you will need to establish and sustain a compliant Kubernetes environment.

System Security Plan (SSP)

The System Security Plan (SSP) is the cornerstone of your FedRAMP package. It documents how your system satisfies each applicable NIST 800-53 control and demonstrates to assessors that you’ve designed security into every layer of your architecture. A strong enterprise SSP should:

• Detail your Kubernetes architecture, including clusters, components, and access layers

• Map controls to real technical implementations like RBAC and pod security policies

• Document inherited controls from cloud providers such as AWS, Azure, or GCP

3PAO Assessment

An independent Third-Party Assessment Organization (3PAO) is required to validate your security posture. This process ensures objectivity and builds confidence with federal agencies that your controls work as designed. 

To prepare for a successful 3PAO engagement:

• Choose a 3PAO authorized for your target impact level

• Undergo full documentation review and real-world testing of your environment

• Work closely with the assessors to remediate issues before final submission

Security Assessment Report (SAR)

The Security Assessment Report (SAR) captures the results of your 3PAO evaluation and highlights any residual risks. It’s a critical artifact for demonstrating readiness to the FedRAMP Joint Authorization Board (JAB) or your agency sponsor. A thorough SAR will:

• Summarize vulnerabilities, control gaps, and mitigation strategies

• Identify misconfigurations or non-compliance issues

• Determine whether you are ready for authorization or need additional remediation

Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M)

The Plan of Action & Milestones (POA&M) is a dynamic roadmap for addressing compliance gaps. It shows federal reviewers that you are actively tracking and resolving security deficiencies. An effective POA&M should:

• List each control deficiency, who owns it, and what the fix is

• Provide evidence of closure and update it regularly

• Treat it as a living record of compliance health

Continuous Monitoring

FedRAMP authorization is not a one-and-done effort—continuous monitoring ensures your system stays secure over time. By implementing automated checks and strong governance, you maintain compliance and prevent drift. To sustain compliance:

• Set up automated vulnerability scans and config audits

• Track system changes, patch levels, and access logs

• Use tools that integrate into Kubernetes and CI/CD pipelines to flag drift

FedRAMP Kubernetes Compliance Best Practices

Staying compliant should not come at the cost of agility. These five best practices help you balance Kubernetes speed with enterprise-grade security and policy enforcement.

1. Apply CIS Kubernetes Benchmarks to Harden Clusters

The CIS Kubernetes Benchmark provides a clear, actionable framework for securing your clusters against common misconfigurations and threats. By aligning with these industry standards, you establish a strong security baseline that can withstand scrutiny from auditors and attackers alike. Here’s how to apply CIS benchmarks in your organization:

• Run Kube-Bench or similar tools to check your configuration

• Disable anonymous access and use secure API server flags

• Lock down permissions with RBAC and avoid excessive privilege

• Document your baseline for audit and remediation

2. Automate with Kube-Bench or OPA Gatekeeper in CI/CD Pipelines

Integrating security into your CI/CD pipelines helps enforce policies early and prevent vulnerabilities from reaching production. Automation ensures consistent guardrails across environments and simplifies evidence gathering for compliance. To push policy enforcement left in your workflows:

• Run Kube-Bench tests on new infrastructure as part of CI/CD

• Use OPA Gatekeeper to define and apply policies in real time

• Block deployments that violate security standards

• Generate evidence to prove policy enforcement to auditors

3. Secure Secrets Using Vault or Native Encryption

Secrets are a prime target for attackers, making their protection critical in any Kubernetes environment. Strong encryption, access controls, and auditing practices help prevent leaks and demonstrate compliance with stringent standards like FedRAMP. To safeguard sensitive credentials:

• Use Vault or native Kubernetes encryption with KMS-backed keys

• Encrypt secrets stored in etcd and restrict access via RBAC

• Rotate secrets regularly and use service identities when possible

• Audit every access to sensitive credentials

4. Enforce Network Policies to Isolate Workloads

Workload segmentation reduces the blast radius of a potential breach and enforces the principle of least privilege at the network level. Well-designed network policies are essential for compliance and operational security. To isolate workloads effectively:

• Define ingress and egress rules at the namespace or app level

• Start with deny-all defaults and allow only what is needed

• Use tools like Calico or Cilium for enforcement and visualization

• Test policies thoroughly before promoting to production

5. Patch Regularly to Stay Ahead of Known Vulnerabilities

Unpatched systems are one of the most common entry points for attackers. A proactive patching strategy keeps your Kubernetes clusters secure and aligns with FedRAMP’s continuous monitoring requirements. To maintain strong patch hygiene:

• Track Kubernetes CVEs and security advisories

• Automate patching across clusters, images, and base OS layers

• Schedule vulnerability scans and risk reviews

• Set strict SLAs for high-severity CVE remediation

Ensure Continuous FedRAMP Compliance with Mirantis

FedRAMP compliance for Kubernetes is complex, but you do not have to go it alone. Mirantis delivers hardened, secure, and production-ready Kubernetes solutions designed for federal and regulated environments.

We offer the following solutions for enterprises:

• Mirantis Kubernetes Engine provides multi-cluster orchestration and lifecycle management

• Mirantis OpenStack for Kubernetes supports secure workloads in private or air-gapped deployments

• Mirantis Container Runtime offers FIPS-validated alternatives to Docker

Book a demo today and see how Mirantis can help your organization meet Kubernetes FedRAMP compliance.