Google denies Microsoft FISMA allegations, calls them irresponsible

In a statement released today on the official Google Enterprise blog, Google claims that Microsoft’s suggestion that it intentionally misled the U.S. government over its compliance with the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA).

As The Next Web reported earlier this week, Microsoft had claimed that Google had filed a separate FISMA application for Google Apps for Government, then asserted that Google Apps for Government was not FISMA certified. In today’s statement, Google flatly denies this.

“Let’s look at the facts. We received FISMA authorization for Google Apps from the General Services Administration (GSA) in July 2010. Google Apps for Government is the same technology platform as Google Apps Premier Edition, not a separate system. It includes two added security enhancements exclusively for government customers: data location and segregation of government data. In consulting with GSA last year, it was determined that the name change and enhancements could be incorporated into our existing FISMA certification. In other words, Google Apps for Government would not require a separate application.”

Google says that it will continue to update their documentation as required, and that they take the government’s security requirements seriously. Google also mentions that it has been open and transparent with the government, and calls Microsoft’s suggestions to the contrary “irresponsible.”