A Game-Changer in Cloud Security Compliance
Cisco has released the Cisco Cloud Controls Framework (CCF) for the general public. Because the Cisco Common Criteria Framework (CCF) meets international and national security standards. Previously, meeting international and national standards was a highly resource-draining process. However, thanks to this streamlined framework, cloud software providers can now comply faster with regulations such as SOC 2, ISO 27001/27701, FedRAMP, Japan’s ISMAP, and others.
Moreover, CCF is built on the principle of “build-once, use-many”, enabling providers to achieve broader certification coverage without duplicating efforts. This approach not only accelerates the process but also helps debunk the popular security myth of cloud, that cloud is inherently less secure than on-premise solutions.
Why CCF Matters
To begin with, cloud-based vendors have long faced hurdles in meeting security benchmarks. The complexity and variety of regional and sector-specific standards often create a fragmented and redundant compliance journey. With CCF, Cisco addresses these inefficiencies by integrating multiple frameworks into one unified structure.
Furthermore, Cisco’s Global Cloud Compliance team, led by Prasant Vadlamudi, emphasizes the organization’s commitment to transparency, accountability, and efficiency. Vadlamudi explains, “Making the CCF public will significantly lower the barrier to entry for smaller players in the cloud industry, allowing them to scale quickly and meet regulatory needs efficiently.”
Key Benefits of Cisco’s CCF
| Feature | Details |
|---|---|
| Build-once, use-many | CCF enables security frameworks to be developed once and reused across multiple certification standards. |
| Faster Global Certification | Supports standards like ISO 27001, SOC 2, FedRAMP, ISMAP, ENS, and IRAP. |
| Open to Public | Now accessible for cloud vendors globally to help meet compliance more easily and cost-effectively. |
| Integrated Cloud Compliance Approach | Provides a structured way to demonstrate security and privacy controls, central to cloud computing security methods. |
| Real-time Regulatory Updates | Cisco will maintain CCF regularly, ensuring it stays aligned with new laws and frameworks. |
| Audit Artifact Generation | Helps generate and reuse documentation during audits, saving resources and reducing delays. |
| Industry-Specific Adaptability | CCF introduces certification “blocks” that are responsive to sector-specific and country-specific compliance needs. |
Beyond Compliance: Strengthening Cloud Trust
Businesses continue to avoid complete cloud adoption because enduring security myths about cloud computing persist. The misconception that cloud-stored data is less secure than data kept on-premises is directly countered by initiatives like Cisco’s Cloud Compliance Framework (CCF). The CCF builds customer and regulatory trust through standardized security practices and evidence-based auditing reports.
Cisco incorporates CCF as a fundamental part of its future cloud-native product lines. This strategy boosts product credibility and establishes a scalable and repeatable model for secure cloud solutions throughout various industries.
What’s New in CCF
Cisco launched dynamic blocks which adapt to specific industry and regional certification needs to enable faster implementation. The company maintains an ongoing commitment to update the framework instantly whenever new global regulations become available.
Vadlamudi stated that their long-term objective focuses on delivering tools that will enable the whole cloud ecosystem to reach compliance efficiently while minimizing obstacles and maximizing resource reuse.
Cisco’s release of the Cloud Controls Framework to the public goes beyond paperwork simplification because it facilitates cloud innovation while breaking traditional security assumptions and offering a dependable path to cloud computing compliance success.
To understand cloud computing security methods better or to dispel common security concerns about cloud computing, you should start with Cisco’s CCF as your strategic foundation.
