DISA STIGs FedRAMP IL-4/IL-5 CMMC

Kubernetes STIG compliance. Zero findings.

DISA STIGs aren't optional for DoD Kubernetes. We implement STIG-compliant configurations, harden containers for federal requirements, and get you to ATO with zero findings. FedRAMP, IL-5, NIST 800-53 — we've done it.

Talk to a compliance engineer
Zero
STIG findings (IL-5)
90
Days to ATO
100%
STIG baseline coverage
2hrs
Audit prep (from weeks)
DISA STIGs

Kubernetes STIGs we implement

We've implemented every Kubernetes-related STIG in production DoD environments. Not theoretical — battle-tested.

Kubernetes STIG

V-242381

DoD IL-4/IL-5, FedRAMP High

DISA Security Technical Implementation Guide for Kubernetes

API Server hardeningetcd encryptionRBAC enforcementAudit loggingNetwork policies

Container Platform STIG

V-242400

DoD, NIST 800-53

Container runtime and orchestration security requirements

Image provenanceRuntime protectionPrivileged container restrictionsResource limitsSeccomp/AppArmor

Red Hat OpenShift STIG

V-257509

DoD IL-4/IL-5

OpenShift Container Platform security configuration

OAuth configurationSCC policiesRouter securityRegistry hardeningOperator security

Container Image STIG

V-252845

DoD, NIST 800-190

Secure container image development and deployment

Base image hardeningVulnerability scanningSBOM trackingSigned imagesMinimal attack surface
Our Process

STIG compliance in 90 days

We don't just scan and hand you a report. We remediate, validate, and document — getting you to ATO.

Phase 1 | 1-2 weeks

STIG Assessment

We scan your Kubernetes environment against DISA STIGs, identifying gaps, documenting findings, and prioritizing remediation based on CAT I/II/III severity.

Deliverables

  • STIG scan results
  • Gap analysis report
  • Remediation roadmap
  • Risk assessment
Phase 2 | 4-8 weeks

Hardening & Remediation

We implement STIG-compliant configurations across your cluster. Policy-as-code ensures configurations stay compliant. Automated scanning catches drift.

Deliverables

  • Hardened configurations
  • Policy-as-code
  • Admission controllers
  • Automated scanning
Phase 3 | 2-4 weeks

Validation & Documentation

We validate compliance with official STIG Viewer, generate eMASS-ready documentation, and prepare your team for assessment. Zero findings is the goal.

Deliverables

  • Compliance validation
  • eMASS documentation
  • Assessment prep
  • Knowledge transfer
Container Hardening

DoD-compliant container security

Containers in DoD environments require hardening beyond commercial best practices. We implement the full Container STIG.

Base Image Security

  • UBI/Chainguard hardened images
  • CVE-free base layers
  • Minimal attack surface
  • FIPS-validated crypto

Build Pipeline Security

  • Image signing & verification
  • SBOM generation
  • Vulnerability scanning gates
  • Supply chain attestation

Runtime Protection

  • Read-only root filesystem
  • Non-root execution
  • Seccomp/AppArmor profiles
  • Resource limits enforced

Admission Control

  • OPA/Gatekeeper policies
  • Image allowlisting
  • Privilege restrictions
  • Network policy enforcement
Federal Frameworks

Compliance frameworks we implement

Beyond STIGs: we implement the full spectrum of federal compliance requirements for Kubernetes.

DISA STIGs

Security Technical Implementation Guides for DoD systems

Kubernetes STIGContainer STIGOS hardeningAutomated scanning

DoD contractors, federal agencies

FedRAMP

Federal cloud security authorization

Control implementationConMonPOA&M management3PAO preparation

Cloud service providers to federal agencies

NIST 800-53

Federal security and privacy controls

Control mappingImplementation evidenceContinuous assessmentRisk management

Federal agencies, contractors

CMMC 2.0

Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification

Level assessmentGap remediationPractice implementationEvidence collection

Defense industrial base

CISA Zero Trust

Federal zero trust architecture guidance

Identity pillarDevice pillarNetwork pillarApplication pillar

Federal agencies modernizing security

IL-4/IL-5/IL-6

DoD Impact Level requirements

GovCloud architectureData isolationAccess controlsEncryption

DoD mission systems

FedRAMP + Kubernetes

FedRAMP controls in Kubernetes

How we implement key NIST 800-53 controls — required for FedRAMP — in Kubernetes environments.

Control

AC-2 Account Management

Kubernetes Implementation

RBAC with external IdP integration, automated account reviews, service account lifecycle management

Control

AU-2 Audit Events

Kubernetes Implementation

API server audit logging, container runtime events, network flow logs to SIEM

Control

CA-7 Continuous Monitoring

Kubernetes Implementation

Real-time compliance scanning, configuration drift detection, vulnerability monitoring

Control

CM-2 Baseline Configuration

Kubernetes Implementation

GitOps-managed configurations, STIG-compliant baselines, automated drift remediation

Control

IA-5 Authenticator Management

Kubernetes Implementation

Secrets management (Vault/External Secrets), certificate rotation, workload identity

Control

SC-7 Boundary Protection

Kubernetes Implementation

Network policies, service mesh mTLS, ingress/egress controls, micro-segmentation

Case Study

Defense contractor achieves IL-5 with zero STIG findings

Defense Industrial Base

The Challenge

A defense contractor required IL-5 compliant Kubernetes on AWS GovCloud to support a classified DoD program. Previous attempts with other vendors resulted in 40+ CAT I/II findings during assessment. Timeline was 90 days.

Our Approach

  • Conducted comprehensive STIG assessment against Kubernetes and Container STIGs
  • Implemented hardened EKS configuration with STIG-compliant node images
  • Deployed OPA/Gatekeeper policies enforcing STIG controls
  • Configured audit logging meeting eMASS requirements
  • Built automated STIG scanning into CI/CD pipeline

Results

Zero

STIG findings

90 days

To IL-5 ATO

100%

Control coverage

24/7

ConMon active

Why THNKBIG

Federal compliance expertise that delivers

Most consultancies can run a STIG scanner. Few can actually remediate findings, implement policy-as-code, and get you to ATO. We've done it for defense contractors, federal agencies, and cloud service providers — achieving zero findings on DoD assessments.

Our team includes US citizens with clearance eligibility who understand the realities of federal work: eMASS documentation, 3PAO assessments, POA&M management, and the bureaucracy of government IT. We don't just implement controls — we prepare you to defend them.

Unlike product vendors pushing their own compliance tools, we're vendor-agnostic. We implement STIGs using the tools that work for your environment: OPA/Gatekeeper, Kyverno, Anchore, Prisma Cloud — whatever gets you compliant and stays maintainable.

FAQ

Frequently asked questions

Security Technical Implementation Guides (STIGs) are configuration standards developed by DISA for DoD systems. For Kubernetes, the Kubernetes STIG (V-242381) and Container Platform STIG define over 100 security controls covering API server hardening, RBAC, network policies, audit logging, and more. If you're running Kubernetes for DoD workloads, STIG compliance is mandatory for ATO.
For a greenfield deployment, we can achieve full STIG compliance in 6-8 weeks. For existing clusters, it depends on the current state — our assessment identifies gaps and we typically remediate within 8-12 weeks. We've done it in 90 days for urgent ATO timelines.
STIGs are DoD-specific configuration standards. FedRAMP is a federal program for authorizing cloud services. They overlap significantly — FedRAMP High maps closely to DoD requirements. If you're building for DoD on commercial cloud, you likely need both: STIG-compliant configurations within a FedRAMP-authorized environment (or GovCloud).
Yes. We've supported numerous DoD ATOs and understand eMASS requirements. We generate compliance documentation in the format assessors expect, map controls to evidence, and prepare your team for assessment questions. Our goal is zero findings.
Absolutely. Point-in-time compliance is worthless if configurations drift. We implement automated STIG scanning, policy-as-code enforcement, and real-time alerting. Your security team gets dashboards showing compliance status, and drift is automatically remediated.
We implement the ConMon controls FedRAMP requires: automated vulnerability scanning, configuration monitoring, incident response integration, and monthly reporting. All feeding into your POA&M process. We can operate this for you or enable your team to self-manage.
Our team includes US citizens eligible for security clearances. We understand the requirements of working in classified environments and have supported programs requiring clearances. We can discuss specifics under NDA.
For IL-4/IL-5, we typically use Iron Bank (DoD's hardened container registry) or Chainguard images. Both provide STIG-compliant, CVE-free base images with proper provenance. We can also help you establish an internal registry with equivalent controls if required.

Technology Partners

AWS Microsoft Azure Google Cloud Red Hat Sysdig Tigera DigitalOcean Dynatrace Rafay NVIDIA Kubecost
Insights

Related Reading

FedRAMP Kubernetes: Containers for Federal Workloads

How to run Kubernetes in FedRAMP environments with compliant architecture patterns.

Zero-Trust Kubernetes: Network Policy From First Principles

Build defense-in-depth with Kubernetes network policies. STIG-compliant segmentation.

Government & Defense Kubernetes

Our full capabilities for federal agencies and defense contractors.

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US-based team · All US citizens · Continental United States only