Public Sector / GovTech

Penetration Testing for Government & Public-Sector Software

Q: Are you a FedRAMP-authorized 3PAO?

No, but we are the technical pentest partner several authorized 3PAOs use. FedRAMP requires a different qualification path than ours.

Q: Do you support StateRAMP, TX-RAMP, AZ-RAMP?

Yes. We work directly with vendors pursuing state-level authorization programs.

Q: Can you do CJIS-aware testing?

Yes. We've delivered CJIS-aware engagements for vendors serving law enforcement, courts, and corrections.

Pentest evidence for government workloads.

CredShields delivers penetration testing for state and local government platforms, federal-adjacent vendors, public-sector SaaS, and GovTech startups. NIST SP 800-53 alignment, FedRAMP-aware engagement structure, state-level requirements (StateRAMP, TX-RAMP, AZ-RAMP), and the CJIS / IRS Pub 1075 / HIPAA overlays that government workloads inherit.

Frameworks We Map To

NIST SP 800-53 / SP 800-115

FedRAMP Moderate / High (3PAO partnership)

StateRAMP, TX-RAMP, AZ-RAMP

CJIS Security Policy

IRS Publication 1075

HIPAA (state Medicaid systems)

01 // GOVTECH IS THE COMPLIANCE-OVERLAY MAXIMUM

If you serve government, you serve every overlay your government customer serves.

A GovTech vendor selling into a state Medicaid agency inherits HIPAA, CMS MARS-E, state procurement law, and the agency's own contractual data-handling addendum. A vendor selling to a state DMV inherits drivers' license PII rules, CJIS data handling for traffic-violation lookups, federal Privacy Act applicability, and the state's data-retention statute. The compliance overlay is whatever your customer's overlay is, plus the federal layer underneath. Our reports document scope decisions and finding mappings against the actual stack you operate in, not just the federal baseline.

Constituent / citizen PII exposure paths and IDOR risks
PIV / CAC and government identity flow integrity
Cross-agency vendor portal isolation
FOIA / sunshine law exempt-record exposure
Procurement and grant-management data flow security
Legacy mainframe / RACF integration boundaries

Common GovTech findings

CRITICAL  PII exposure via citizen portal IDOR
  GET /api/case/{id} no authz check
  → constituent records enumerable
  // State law + federal Privacy Act

CRITICAL  PIV/CAC bypass via cert validation
  Smart-card cert chain verification flaw
  → unauth access to gov network
  // NIST SP 800-63 IAL3, FedRAMP AC-1

HIGH      FOIA-exempt records exposed
  Search index returns redacted-flagged
  → public disclosure of exempt records
  // State sunshine + federal exemptions

HIGH      Vendor-portal cross-agency leak
  Common SSO + state-level RBAC weak
  → vendor sees other agency proposals
  // State procurement law

02 // FEDRAMP-ADJACENT, STATERAMP-NATIVE

We're not a 3PAO. We're the technical pentest partner several 3PAOs use.

FedRAMP authorization requires CMVP-validated tools and authorized 3PAO assessment, which is a different qualification than what we provide. What we are: the technical pentest partner several 3PAOs engage to perform the testing they ultimately attest to. For state-level RAMPs (StateRAMP, TX-RAMP, AZ-RAMP), the qualification structure is more flexible and we work directly with state-level CISO offices and StateRAMP's reciprocity framework. Our engagement structure adapts to whichever path your customer requires.

3PAO partnerships: we are the testing arm of several authorized 3PAOs
StateRAMP Moderate / High evidence package preparation
CMS MARS-E and CMS Acceptable Risk Safeguards alignment
IRS Pub 1075 testing for state revenue / tax agency vendors

GovTech engagement paths

PATH 1: FEDRAMP MODERATE / HIGH
  · Engaged via authorized 3PAO
  · 3PAO produces SAR
  · We deliver technical pentest underneath
  · Common pattern for IL2/IL4 workloads

PATH 2: STATERAMP / TX-RAMP / AZ-RAMP
  · Direct engagement with vendor
  · Evidence package prepared for
    state CISO submission
  · StateRAMP reciprocity preserved

PATH 3: STATE / LOCAL DIRECT
  · Direct vendor engagement
  · Pentest report tailored to agency
    procurement requirements
  · CJIS / IRS Pub 1075 / state law
    overlays mapped explicitly

PATH 4: GOVTECH STARTUP, PRE-RAMP
  · Right-sized engagement, pre-FedRAMP
  · Identifies gaps before 3PAO begins
  · Builds the evidence runway

→ Pick the path that matches your
  customer's procurement model.

Procurement Reality

Government procurement timelines reward early evidence preparation.

Federal authorization paths take 12-18 months. State authorization paths take 6-12 months. The pentest evidence runway needs to begin years before your first contract. GovTech vendors that wait until they're invited to bid usually miss the window. Our work with pre-RAMP startups focuses on building the evidence runway early so that, when the procurement opportunity arrives, the security posture is documented and the 3PAO assessment kicks off without architectural surprises.

Coverage by Public-Sector Sub-Vertical

Specialized testing for government surfaces.

Citizen-Facing Platforms

Constituent service portals, benefits applications, license and permit systems, voter registration and election infrastructure (where authorized).

Health & Human Services

State Medicaid systems, MARS-E aligned, HIPAA overlay, CMS Acceptable Risk Safeguards. Eligibility and enrollment systems.

Justice & Public Safety

CJIS-aware testing for vendors serving law enforcement, courts, and corrections. Background check systems, case management, evidence handling.

Tax & Revenue

IRS Pub 1075 alignment for state revenue systems, taxpayer PII protection, e-file integration, tax preparation vendor security.

Procurement & Grants

Vendor onboarding portals, grant management systems, procurement platforms, GSA-adjacent commercial systems.

GovTech Startups

Pre-RAMP, pre-authorization startups building toward FedRAMP / StateRAMP. Right-sized engagements that build the evidence runway.

Frequently Asked

Common questions, answered.

Are you a FedRAMP-authorized 3PAO?

No. FedRAMP requires CMVP-validated tools and authorized 3PAO designation, which is a different qualification path than ours. What we are is the technical pentest partner several authorized 3PAOs engage to perform the testing they ultimately attest to. If you're pursuing FedRAMP, talk to your 3PAO about engaging us under their authorization.

Do you support StateRAMP, TX-RAMP, AZ-RAMP, and similar state programs?

Yes. State-level authorization programs have more flexible qualification structures than FedRAMP. We work directly with vendors pursuing StateRAMP Moderate or High, TX-RAMP, AZ-RAMP, and similar state programs. Evidence packages are prepared in the format the relevant state CISO office accepts.

Can you do CJIS-aware testing for law enforcement vendors?

Yes. CJIS-relevant engagements require specific data handling, personnel screening considerations, and methodology choices. We've delivered CJIS-aware engagements for vendors serving law enforcement, courts, and corrections. Background check requirements for engagement personnel vary by state and we accommodate the specific state CJIS Systems Officer requirements.

How does this work for IRS Pub 1075-relevant vendors?

Vendors handling federal taxpayer information inherit Pub 1075 requirements, which overlap heavily with NIST SP 800-53 but have specific data-handling and personnel screening requirements. We structure engagements to satisfy the technical-evaluation requirements within Pub 1075 (specifically Section 9.4) and produce evidence in the format IRS office of safeguards reviewers expect.

Are you registered on SAM.gov / GSA / state procurement vehicles?

We hold registrations on the procurement vehicles most commonly required for our engagement size and structure. For larger federal direct engagements, we typically work as a subcontractor through a prime that holds the necessary vehicles. State and local engagements vary by jurisdiction. Tell us your specific procurement requirement and we'll confirm the engagement path.

How do you handle the security clearance question for engagement personnel?

Most of our engagements involve personnel who have been backgrounded in support of CJIS, state-level requirements, or commercial financial services backgrounds. For workloads requiring formal security clearances (Secret, Top Secret), the engagement structure is different and typically involves cleared partner firms. Tell us your clearance requirement and we'll confirm fit.

Can you support the CMMC requirement for DoD-supply-chain vendors?

We are not a CMMC C3PAO and do not perform CMMC assessments. We do support DIB-supply-chain vendors with NIST SP 800-171 evaluation, which is the technical-control basis underlying CMMC Level 2. The C3PAO assessment is a separate engagement.

How do you scope a pentest for a GovTech startup pre-FedRAMP?

Right-sized engagements that build the evidence runway. A pre-FedRAMP startup typically benefits from a comprehensive web app and API pentest that surfaces gaps the 3PAO will eventually find anyway, with sufficient lead time to remediate before formal assessment begins. Engagement scoping reflects the system size and complexity, typically $20K-$40K for a Series A pre-RAMP startup.

Do you handle election infrastructure?

We have done work in this space and we're selective. Election infrastructure has unique procurement, transparency, and political-sensitivity considerations. Engagements require explicit authorization, careful scope documentation, and direct contact with the relevant state or local election authority. We participate in this work where the engagement structure supports legitimate security improvement; we don't take engagements with structures we can't defend publicly.

Ready to ship secure?

Talk to a senior engineer who has worked with companies in your industry. No SDR script, no slide deck. Just a working session about your stack and your compliance posture.

Penetration Testing for Government & Public-Sector Software

Pentest evidence for government workloads.

If you serve government, you serve every overlay your government customer serves.

We're not a 3PAO. We're the technical pentest partner several 3PAOs use.

Government procurement timelines reward early evidence preparation.

Specialized testing for government surfaces.

Common questions, answered.

Continue exploring

The pentest your auditor will accept.The findings your engineers will fix.

The pentest your auditor will accept.
The findings your engineers will fix.