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Atlassian’s FedRAMP Certification: What’s the Big Deal?

Mar 20, 2025

Atlassian’s announcement in early 2025 that its Government Cloud achieved FedRAMP Moderate certification is a major milestone. The certification means that Jira Software, Confluence, and Jira Service Management can now be used by U.S. federal agencies and contractors in a secure, compliant cloud environment.

TL;DR Takeaways

  • Atlassian Government Cloud achieved FedRAMP Moderate authorization as of March 17, 2025.
  • FedRAMP is a government security standard that certifies cloud services for federal use.
  • This certification applies to Jira Software, Confluence, and Jira Service Management within the Atlassian Government Cloud.
  • Public sector teams can now use these tools, but the adoption will depend on the cloud migration hurdles they face.
  • FedRAMP Moderate covers sensitive government data but there are still questions about the tools’ fit for all government needs.
  • Atlassian has plans for FedRAMP High and DoD IL5 certifications, but achieving those is no small task.
  • Security concerns will remain a top priority as government agencies weigh the risks of migrating to the cloud.

What is FedRAMP and Why Does It Matter?

Essentially FedRAMP (Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program) is a U.S. government program that sets security standards for cloud service providers. The program is designed to ensure that cloud services are secure enough to handle federal data and comply with government regulations. There are three levels of FedRAMP authorization: Low, Moderate, and High, depending on the sensitivity of the data the service will handle.

Atlassian achieved FedRAMP Moderate, which should be suitable for most federal agencies but not necessarily for the most sensitive information like classified data. It’s a good step forward, but Moderate doesn’t cover everything. If Atlassian plans to handle more highly classified or sensitive government data in the future, they’ll need to achieve FedRAMP High, which is more challenging and requires additional controls.

What Does This Mean for Atlassian’s Customers?

The ability for U.S. government agencies and their contractors to use Atlassian Cloud tools is a big win for the company. For years, federal agencies stuck with on-premises tools because cloud-based offerings weren’t deemed secure enough. With FedRAMP Moderate, Atlassian’s cloud services are now in play for a much broader audience.

However, the shift to the cloud for government agencies is a huge undertaking. Many organizations are hesitant to migrate from on-premise solutions due to security concerns, legacy infrastructure, and the complexity of cloud transitions. Despite the allure of modern collaboration tools in the cloud, this shift comes with real risks—especially when dealing with highly sensitive data. It will be interesting to see what adoption this leads to.

What’s Next for Atlassian?

This is definitely a great first step, but it’s just the beginning. The company has already announced plans to pursue FedRAMP High certification, which would make its cloud offerings suitable for even more sensitive government data. FedRAMP High is required for handling classified or critical data, such as law enforcement or healthcare information.

Atlassian has also expressed interest in obtaining DoD IL5 certification, which is needed for Department of Defense applications. DoD IL5 certification is particularly important for defense contractors and other entities working with the Department of Defense. But, much like FedRAMP High, this is a complicated and rigorous process that could take years to complete.

The road ahead for Atlassian in the government sector is long, and although this initial certification is impressive, the company has a lot more work to do before it can claim to be a go-to choice for every federal agency.

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