360 Advanced Serves as Independent Assessor for Perplexity's First FedRAMP 20x Class C Certification

360 Advanced served as the independent assessor for Perplexity Enterprise and API Platform, which FedRAMP confirmed on October 28, 2026, as the first cloud service offering to earn a fully CR26-compliant FedRAMP 20x Class C Certification. PR Newswire published the announcement on November 2, 2026.

How 360 Advanced Assessed Perplexity

360 Advanced is a cybersecurity and compliance consulting firm based in St. Petersburg, Florida, founded in 2006, that provides integrated multi-framework assessments including SOC, HITRUST, ISO, FedRAMP, CMMC, and PCI DSS. Under CR26, independent assessors verify that security measures are implemented as documented and validate that they produce their intended outcomes, reviewing them at a technical level.

For the Perplexity engagement, 360 Advanced assessed the Key Security Indicators within the minimum assessment scope, evaluated the automated validation methods supporting each indicator, and reviewed machine-readable evidence. The certification carries no fixed expiration date and remains in effect as long as the offering continues to meet ongoing certification requirements, including an independent assessment at least once per year.

"Perplexity set out to do something no organization had done before, and their team approached FedRAMP 20x with the transparency and engineering discipline the new rules demand," said Dan Collins, CEO and Founder of 360 Advanced. "CR26 asks assessors to evaluate security at a technical level and confirm it delivers real outcomes, and 360 Advanced led the way on this first-ever certification."

Perplexity was founded in 2022 by former members of OpenAI, Meta, Quora, Bing and Databricks and builds a conversational answer engine that draws from sources in real time. In October 2026, Perplexity partnered with Valarian to offer its AI search tools in customer-controlled computing environments for government and enterprise users, Techday reported.

360 Advanced's Compliance Record

According to akta.pro company records, 360 Advanced serves more than 900 clients across more than 35 states and has over 20 years of experience. The firm joined Rapid7's Cyber Governance, Risk, and Compliance Early Access Program in May 2026 and GovRAMP's expanded 3PAO Discount Program in May 2026. Bregal Sagemount announced a minority growth investment in 360 Advanced in January 2025.

Earlier 360 Advanced Engagements

In July 2026, 360 Advanced integrated SOC 2, HIPAA, and GovRAMP compliance frameworks into a single program for Bentek, resulting in a clean SOC 2 Type 2 report while reducing costs and administrative burden, Third News reported. That same month, 360 Advanced implemented a comprehensive compliance program for retail technology provider Teamwork Commerce, Third News reported. In August 2026, 360 Advanced ranked 3203rd on the 2026 Inc. 5000 list, its third consecutive appearance, Third News reported.

Perplexity's Annual Assessment Requirement

360 Advanced will continue to support Perplexity's ongoing certification, including the annual independent assessment required to keep the Class C Certification in effect.