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Case Study: Securing Digital Science - FedRAMP Moderate Authorization for a Cloud-Based Electronic Lab Notebook

  • Writer: Tim Mierzwa
    Tim Mierzwa
  • Jul 11
  • 2 min read

Updated: Jul 14

Background

As federal agencies accelerate digital transformation in science and research, cloud-native platforms like Electronic Lab Notebooks (ELNs) are becoming essential to modern laboratory operations. However, with this shift comes a heightened responsibility to ensure the security and compliance of platforms that handle sensitive and mission-critical data. Against the backdrop of the government’s intensified focus on cybersecurity, including Executive Orders, zero trust mandates, and cloud compliance frameworks, achieving FedRAMP Moderate authorization became a critical milestone for a leading ELN platform.


Problem

The ELN platform, while effective in supporting experimental workflows, lacked the cybersecurity rigor required to meet current federal standards. Without encryption, centralized logging, or formalized controls aligned to NIST 800-53, the platform was vulnerable to data breaches, non-compliance, and operational disruption. These limitations prevented broader adoption across federal research programs and posed a barrier to trust and collaboration.


Nextonic's Solution

Nextonic Solutions led the full-spectrum compliance and engineering transformation necessary to secure the platform and achieve FedRAMP Moderate: 

  • Secure Cloud Architecture: Designed and deployed the system in AWS GovCloud using zero trust principles, implementing secure enclaves, encryption, and granular access control.

  • FedRAMP Compliance Program: Conducted full control mapping and readiness assessments; authored the System Security Plan (SSP); and implemented the full suite of policies, procedures, and technical safeguards.

  • 3PAO and ATO Support: Orchestrated penetration testing, vulnerability remediation, and validation processes with the Third Party Assessment Organization (3PAO) and supported Authority to Operate (ATO) approval.

  • DevSecOps Modernization: Built a secure CI/CD pipeline integrating automated security scans, infrastructure-as-code, and real-time monitoring to support ongoing compliance.


Results and Outcomes

  1. FedRAMP Moderate Authorization achieved with no critical findings.

  2. Reduced vulnerability remediation time by over 70%, enhancing operational resilience.

  3. Enabled secure, cross-agency collaboration for federally funded research initiatives.

  4. Laid the foundation for continuous compliance with zero trust and automated monitoring.


Strategic Impact

As part of the government’s broader effort to strengthen cyber resilience across its digital infrastructure, this project represents a successful model for modernizing scientific platforms without sacrificing security. Nextonic’s leadership enabled a research-critical ELN to meet and exceed federal cybersecurity mandates, unlocking broader adoption, safeguarding sensitive data, and supporting the next generation of secure, cloud-based scientific innovation.

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