Episode 3 — Clarify Roles and Authorizations
Understanding who authorizes, who assesses, and who operates the system is foundational to planning and communication. This episode explains the responsibilities of the authorizing official, the FedRAMP PMO, JAB members, agency security teams, 3PAOs, and the cloud service provider’s internal stakeholders. We tie each role to key outcomes: risk acceptance, evidence production, independence of assessment, and remediation ownership. You will see how a single point of accountability on the provider side coordinates engineering, security, legal, and customer success, and how agencies interpret risk posture through the lens of mission impact. We also highlight the difference between a JAB provisional authorization and an agency authorization, including where each is recognized and how reuse is enabled.
Next, we show how clear role definition accelerates tasks and reduces rework. We cover who signs Rules of Engagement, who is responsible for boundary documentation, who submits monthly scans, and who validates remediation in the POA&M lifecycle. We discuss escalation paths when findings are disputed, and how independence is preserved in testing and reporting. Practical advice includes drafting a RACI that mirrors FedRAMP artifacts, establishing a single evidence portal with reviewer-friendly naming, and scheduling checkpoints that align with package readiness. By mapping decisions to decision-makers and evidence to owners, you create a traceable authorization story that stands up across initial assessment and continuous monitoring. Produced by BareMetalCyber.com, where you’ll find more cyber audio courses, books, and information to strengthen your educational path. Also, if you want to stay up to date with the latest news, visit DailyCyber.News for a newsletter you can use, and a daily podcast you can commute with.
