What is FIPS 140-2 Validation?
The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140-2 specifies the security requirements of cryptographic modules used to protect sensitive information. The Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) is the accreditation program that validates cryptographic modules to this standard. The CMVP is a joint effort between the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Communications Security Establishment (CSE) of the Government of Canada. Cryptographic Modules validated through the program are subjected to rigorous testing by independent, accredited Cryptographic Module Testing (CMT) laboratories.
FIPS 140-2 is a standard first published in 2001 by the U. S. National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), a non-regulatory agency of the U. S. Department of Commerce. NIST works to establish various standards that the U.S. military and various government agencies must abide by. Vendors, contractors, and any organization working with government or military must comply with FIPS as well.
