Cisco Secure Access for Government Achieves FedRAMP High

Cisco announced on August 11, 2026, that Cisco Secure Access for Government now meets FedRAMP Certified Class D (High) standards. In plain terms, the cloud service agencies and contractors use for secure access to applications has been assessed at FedRAMP’s higher impact level for sensitive, unclassified government data.

That matters in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast, not only in Washington, D.C. Hydrasat is a Cisco Partner based in Covington, Louisiana.

What Cisco announced

In an August 11, 2026 Cisco blog post, Cisco said customers now have immediate access to an enhanced Secure Access for Government solution that meets FedRAMP Certified Class D (High). The product also remains available at FedRAMP Certified Class C (Moderate). Cisco wrote that it officially received Class C (Moderate) in August 2025 and has now achieved Class D (High).

The official FedRAMP Marketplace listing for Cisco Security Cloud for Government (package ID FR2304757473A) shows the offering as FedRAMP Certified, Class D (High), as of August 6, 2026. The listing describes Cisco Secure Access for Government as a component of that service, and lists the certification as Rev5, the path as Agency, and the service as SaaS in a Government Community Cloud.

What FedRAMP Class D (High) means in plain terms

FedRAMP is the U.S. government-wide program that standardizes how cloud services used by federal agencies are assessed, authorized, and continuously monitored. The levels are based on how badly a data breach could affect an organization’s ability to do its work.

Class C (Moderate) applies to systems handling controlled unclassified information (CUI) where a loss could have serious adverse effects. Cisco notes that this is the standard for most federal civilian agencies.

Class D (High) covers systems that process highly sensitive, non-classified data—such as law enforcement, emergency services, financial, and health systems—where a loss could cause severe or catastrophic damage. Cisco says this level allows agencies and contractors to process and store highly sensitive federal data, including PII, PHI, and mission-critical information, and that it uses more than 400 security controls based on the NIST SP 800-53 High baseline.

Moderate is the usual floor for much civilian agency cloud work. High is for more sensitive unclassified workloads.

What is in Cisco Secure Access for Government

Cisco describes Secure Access for Government as a converged Security Service Edge (SSE) solution built on Zero Trust architecture. It brings together Zero Trust Network Access (ZTNA), a Secure Web Gateway (SWG), a Cloud Access Security Broker (CASB), and cloud-delivered firewalling, plus DNS security and advanced malware protection powered by Cisco Talos.

When paired with Cisco SD-WAN, Cisco offers the product as a SASE solution. Cisco’s August 2026 post notes that Catalyst SD-WAN was, at that time, still FedRAMP Certified Class C (Moderate) and under review for Class D (High). The Secure Access milestone should not be read as a Class D authorization for every product in a SASE design.

What existing customers need to do

Cisco says no action is required to go from Class C (Moderate) to Class D (High). The change is a backend platform uplift, not a manual migration. Existing Class C customers, Cisco says, receive the enhanced controls automatically, without operational disruption, product replacement, reconfiguration, or a change in SKUs. Cisco says the uplift is available now with purchase of Secure Access for Government. That platform change does not replace an agency’s own authorization and reuse processes.

How this relates to DoD cloud impact levels

Cisco says FedRAMP Class D (High) aligns closely with Department of Defense Impact Level 4 (IL4). Close alignment is not the same as a DoD IL4 authorization. Cisco explains that Class D (High) is the highest FedRAMP standard for civilian agencies, while IL4 is designed for the Department of Defense and is often called “FedRAMP Moderate Plus,” starting from the Moderate baseline plus about 44 DoD-specific enhancements. Class D services are typically reachable over the public internet with FIPS-validated encryption; IL4 requires NIPRNET connectivity through a DoD Cloud Access Point and requires that staff with administrative access be U.S. persons.

Cisco also says Cisco Secure Access for Defense is being developed for DoD Impact Level 5 and should not be treated as available on the basis of this announcement.

Why this matters in Louisiana and along the Gulf Coast

For federal facilities, government contractors, and regulated organizations in healthcare, finance, or emergency services, cloud-access impact level is a practical question.

Hydrasat is a Cisco Partner headquartered in Covington, on the New Orleans Northshore, with additional U.S. offices in Houston and Novi, Michigan. We help organizations plan network and security designs, including layered security and ongoing monitoring through our 24/7 NOC and SOC.

To discuss Cisco Secure Access for Government or zero-trust access, contact Hydrasat. You can also request a free network assessment, or browse Cisco Umbrella and Cisco Duo in the Hydrasat catalog. The FedRAMP Certified Class D (High) status described here applies to Cisco’s cloud service, not to Hydrasat.

Frequently asked questions

What did Cisco announce about FedRAMP and Secure Access?

Cisco announced that Cisco Secure Access for Government has achieved FedRAMP Certified Class D (High) and remains available at Class C (Moderate). The FedRAMP Marketplace lists Cisco Security Cloud for Government as Certified Class D (High) as of August 6, 2026.

Do existing customers have to migrate or buy a new product?

Cisco says no. The uplift is automatic, requires no SKU change, and is available now with purchase of Secure Access for Government.

Is FedRAMP High the same as DoD Impact Level 4?

No. Cisco says they align closely, but the frameworks differ in audience, controls, networking, and personnel rules. FedRAMP High is not an automatic IL4 authorization.

Does Hydrasat hold a FedRAMP authorization?

No. That certification applies to Cisco’s cloud service. Hydrasat is a Cisco Partner that can help you evaluate and implement Cisco security and access solutions.