How is Athena different from Secureframe, Strike Graph, Paramify, Risk Cognizance, SMPL-C, or Kiteworks?

Those platforms optimize the contractor's readiness workflow — live SPRS tracking, AI controls dashboards, fast SSP/POA&M drafting, continuous control monitoring, LLM document analysis, or CUI data movement. Athena adds the assessor-facing submission layer that almost none of them ship: SAR narrative drafting, eMASS-ready JSON packaging, OSCAL output, and cryptographic provenance (SHA-256 + chain-of-custody) for every artifact a C3PAO or DIBCAC assessor opens on engagement day.

Does Athena replace Secureframe, Strike Graph, or Paramify?

No — Athena is the assessor-side submission layer that sits on top of whatever readiness GRC you already use. Bring evidence from any tool; Athena drafts the SAR, generates the POA&M with prioritized remediation, scores SPRS, and exports eMASS / OSCAL packages with provenance.

What does Athena export for a CMMC Level 2 assessment?

SAR draft with citations, POA&M with milestone estimates, SPRS scoring package, eMASS-ready JSON, OSCAL package, evidence binder with SHA-256 hashes, and a chain-of-custody manifest signed for the assessor.

FedRAMP vs CMMC

FedRAMP vs CMMC: How They Relate, Where They Diverge

FedRAMP and CMMC are often confused — both reference NIST controls, both touch defense workloads, both gate federal money. They are not interchangeable. FedRAMP authorizes the cloud service itself; CMMC certifies the contractor that uses it. Get the boundary wrong and you either over-buy (paying for FedRAMP High when CMMC Level 2 would suffice) or under-cover (assuming GCC High inheritance closes controls it does not). This page maps the overlap and the gaps.

See Athena pricing Free CMMC Quick Score

The one-line difference

FedRAMP authorizes a cloud service (the platform — AWS GovCloud, Microsoft 365 GCC High, Azure Government) for use by federal agencies. CMMC certifies a defense contractor (your organization) to handle Controlled Unclassified Information under DFARS 252.204-7021. A FedRAMP-authorized cloud is an input to your CMMC assessment, not a substitute for it.

Control baselines side by side

FedRAMP Moderate — 323 controls from NIST SP 800-53 Rev. 5. Required baseline for cloud services handling CUI.
FedRAMP High — 410 controls. For cloud services handling sensitive federal data with high impact.
CMMC Level 2 — 110 controls from NIST SP 800-171 Rev. 2, 320 assessment objectives from NIST SP 800-171A. Required baseline for contractors handling CUI.
NIST 800-171 is a curated subset of 800-53 Moderate — that's the structural overlap that makes inheritance possible.

What you can actually inherit

When you process CUI inside a FedRAMP Moderate (or higher) cloud, the cloud carries some of the underlying control implementation. The cloud provider's Shared Responsibility Matrix lists which controls the platform fully owns, which are shared, and which remain entirely yours.

Common pattern in GCC High: physical security, environmental controls, parts of audit and accountability, and most of system and communications protection are inherited. Identity, configuration management, incident response, and personnel security stay almost entirely on the contractor. A C3PAO will want to see your SRM in writing — assumed inheritance is not inheritance.

Common mistakes

"We use GCC High so we're CMMC compliant." No — GCC High closes ~20 of 320 objectives on its own. The contractor still owns the other 300.
Pursuing FedRAMP when CMMC Level 2 is the actual requirement. FedRAMP is for cloud service providers, not contractors. If you're not selling a SaaS to the government, you don't need a FedRAMP ATO.
Mixing FedRAMP Low with CUI. Low does not meet the FedRAMP-equivalent baseline DFARS 7012 requires for CUI handling. Moderate is the floor.
Ignoring the FedRAMP-equivalent path. Cloud services that are FedRAMP Moderate equivalent (not formally authorized) can meet 7012 if they pass a third-party assessment using the FedRAMP body of evidence — DoD memo CIO M-21-09 covers the criteria.

How Athena handles the boundary

Athena ingests your cloud provider's SRM, maps each line to NIST 800-171A objectives, and pre-fills the inherited columns of your SSP. What's left becomes your real readiness backlog. The evidence collection guide shows what each remaining objective needs.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need both FedRAMP and CMMC?

Almost never. FedRAMP is for cloud service providers selling to federal agencies. CMMC is for defense contractors handling CUI. You need CMMC if you're a contractor; you need FedRAMP if you're a CSP. The exception is if you both consume cloud services and resell your own — then you may need to consume FedRAMP-authorized clouds and pursue FedRAMP for your own offering.

Is GCC High enough by itself for CMMC Level 2?

No. GCC High is a FedRAMP High-authorized cloud, which is necessary for CUI under DFARS 7012, but it satisfies only a small fraction of CMMC's 320 assessment objectives. The contractor still owns identity, configuration, training, incident response, and most documentation controls.

What does 'FedRAMP equivalent' mean?

A cloud service that has not gone through full FedRAMP authorization but has been assessed by a 3PAO using the FedRAMP body of evidence and meets the FedRAMP Moderate baseline. DoD CIO memo (December 2023) clarified the criteria — including a current Body of Evidence package, full FedRAMP Moderate control implementation, and a 3PAO attestation.

Does NIST 800-171 map cleanly to FedRAMP Moderate?

Mostly. 800-171's 110 controls are derived from the Moderate baseline of NIST 800-53, so a FedRAMP Moderate cloud closes many underlying controls. The mapping is documented in NIST 800-171 Appendix D, but inheritance still depends on which controls the cloud actually owns versus shares with the customer.