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FEDRAMP 20X and REV5

The FedRAMP PAIN Reference Guide? 

FedRAMP now rates every vulnerability by its Potential Agency Impact N-rating, from N0 to N5. That rating sets how long you have to respond. This seven-page guide puts every rating, timeframe, and deadline in one place.

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What's Inside:

  • The PAIN scale, N0 to N5. FedRAMP's own definitions, including N0, added October 5, 2026.
  • Mitigation and Remediation Expectations. The Class C and Class D timeframe tables, from 12 hours to 192 days.
  • When a vulnerability becomes an incident. The thresholds that make a vulnerability a FedRAMP Reportable Incident.
  • Incident reporting timeframes. Initial, Ongoing, and Final Incident Report windows for Classes B, C, and D.
  • Key dates. December 7, 2026; January 1, 2027; March 7, 2027; and June 1, 2027.
  • Key terms. LEV, IRV, VDR, VER, and IEC, quoted from FedRAMP Definitions.

Deadlines to Remember:

Date
What happens
Dec. 7, 2026
VDR and VER rules become mandatory
Jan. 1, 2027
IEC rules required to maintain certification
Mar. 7, 2027
VDR and VER grace period ends

Sera Brynn is a FedRAMP Recognized Independent Assessor Organization. Every rule and timeframe in this guide is quoted from FedRAMP's Consolidated Rules for 2026.

Who it's for:

Cloud service providers obtaining or maintaining FedRAMP Certification, Rev5 and 20x. FedRAMP calls the legacy monthly vulnerability scanning process most Rev5 Certified cloud services follow insufficient. If that describes your program, December 7 is your deadline.

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