Cisco is a leader in securing FIPS 140 validations and is dedicated to information assurance, complying to standards for both product depth and breadth. The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140 is a U.S. and Canadian government standard that specifies security requirements for cryptographic modules. A cryptographic module is defined as "the set of hardware, software, and/or firmware that implements approved security functions (including cryptographic algorithms and key generation) and is contained within the cryptographic boundary." The cryptographic module is what is being validated.

TRIAD's Global Certification Team and TRIAD's Common Security Modules Team implemented an innovative approach to expedite FIPS certifications. They developed a crypto module that is already FIPS-validated and can be embedded in Cisco products. Because the crypto module is already FIPS-validated, the Cisco product can claim compliance to FIPS 140.

The compliance process verifies that the Cisco product has implemented cryptography according to standards, and all applications that use cryptography do so correctly. Upon verification, the FIPS compliance process is complete and the product is considered to be FIPS-compliant by the virtue of using a FIPS-validated cryptographic module.

For more information on FIPS 140, please visit

FIPS 140-2 Compliance Review

Expediting FIPS Certifications with an innovative approach using FIPS validated crypto modules. The TRIAD's Global Certification Team and TRIAD's Common Security Modules Team has implemented a model of FIPS compliance when Cisco product has embedded a FIPS validated cryptographic library.

The compliance process verifies that the Cisco product has implemented cryptography according to standards and all applications that use cryptography, do so correctly, then a FIPS Compliance process is completed and the product is considered to be FIPS compliant by the virtue of using a FIPS validated cryptographic module.