Standards Comparison

    DORA

    Mandatory
    2023

    EU regulation for digital operational resilience in financial sector

    VS

    FedRAMP

    Mandatory
    2011

    U.S. program standardizing federal cloud security assessments

    Quick Verdict

    DORA mandates ICT resilience for EU financial firms with testing and reporting, while FedRAMP authorizes secure cloud services for US federal agencies via NIST controls and 3PAO audits. EU firms comply to avoid fines; US vendors pursue contracts.

    Digital Operational Resilience

    DORA

    Regulation (EU) 2022/2554 Digital Operational Resilience Act

    Cost
    €€€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    18-24 months

    Key Features

    • Harmonizes ICT resilience across 27 EU member states
    • Mandates comprehensive ICT risk management frameworks
    • Enforces 4-hour major incident reporting timelines
    • Requires triennial threat-led penetration testing (TLPT)
    • Oversees critical third-party ICT service providers
    Cloud Security

    FedRAMP

    Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program

    Cost
    €€€
    Complexity
    Medium
    Implementation Time
    12-18 months

    Key Features

    • NIST 800-53 controls at Low/Moderate/High impact levels
    • Third-party assessments by accredited 3PAOs
    • Continuous monitoring with monthly/annual reporting
    • Assess once, use many times reusability model
    • FedRAMP Marketplace listing for visibility

    Detailed Analysis

    A comprehensive look at the specific requirements, scope, and impact of each standard.

    DORA Details

    What It Is

    Digital Operational Resilience Act (DORA), formally Regulation (EU) 2022/2554, is an EU regulation harmonizing ICT risk management and resilience for the financial sector. It targets 20 financial entity types and critical third-party providers (CTPPs) against disruptions like cyberattacks, using a proportionality-based, risk-centric approach.

    Key Components

    • **ICT Risk Management FrameworksIdentification, mitigation, annual reviews.
    • **Incident Reporting4-hour initial, 72-hour updates for major incidents.
    • **Resilience TestingAnnual scans, triennial TLPT for critical functions.
    • **Third-Party OversightContracts, monitoring, ESA supervision of CTPPs. Supported by RTS/ITS standards from ESAs.

    Why Organizations Use It

    Mandatory for ~22,000 EU entities to avoid 2% turnover fines. Bolsters resilience amid 74% ransomware exposure, enhances systemic stability, builds trust, spurs cybersecurity innovation.

    Implementation Overview

    Gap analysis, framework builds, testing programs, vendor due diligence. Applies EU-wide to all sizes with proportionality; full enforcement January 17, 2025. Supervisory audits required, no formal certification.

    FedRAMP Details

    What It Is

    FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) is a U.S. government-wide framework standardizing security assessment, authorization, and continuous monitoring for cloud services used by federal agencies. Its primary purpose is enabling "assess once, use many times" to reduce duplication, based on risk-based NIST SP 800-53 controls tailored to FIPS 199 impact levels (Low, Moderate, High).

    Key Components

    • NIST SP 800-53 Rev 5 baselines: ~156 (Low), ~323 (Moderate), ~410 (High) controls.
    • Core artifacts: SSP, SAR, POA&M, continuous monitoring plans.
    • 3PAO independent assessments; FedRAMP Marketplace for reusability.
    • Built on FISMA; compliance via Agency or Program authorizations.

    Why Organizations Use It

    • Unlocks federal contracts ($20M+ potential); CMMC mandates for DoD.
    • Enhances risk management, competitive edge as trust badge.
    • Builds stakeholder confidence for commercial sales.

    Implementation Overview

    • 12-18 month process: categorization, documentation, 3PAO assessment, authorization.
    • Targets CSPs; suits all sizes pursuing federal business; requires audits, ongoing monitoring.

    Key Differences

    Scope

    DORA
    Digital resilience in finance
    FedRAMP
    Cloud security for federal agencies

    Industry

    DORA
    EU financial entities only
    FedRAMP
    US federal cloud providers

    Nature

    DORA
    Mandatory EU regulation
    FedRAMP
    Standardized US authorization program

    Testing

    DORA
    Annual basic, triennial TLPT
    FedRAMP
    3PAO assessments, continuous monitoring

    Penalties

    DORA
    Up to 2% global turnover
    FedRAMP
    Revocation, contract loss

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common questions about DORA and FedRAMP

    DORA FAQ

    FedRAMP FAQ

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