Compliance and deployment

FIPS 140

FIPS 140 is the US government standard for validating cryptographic modules, with security levels from 1 to 4 covering tamper evidence, tamper resistance, and environmental protections. FIPS 140-2 Level 3 and FIPS 140-3 Level 3 are the benchmarks banks require for custody HSMs.

Reading FIPS levels in custody due diligence

Level 3 adds physical tamper resistance and identity-based authentication; Level 4 adds environmental attack protection. The certificate must cover the module actually deployed and the algorithms actually used, a detail worth verifying in vendor claims.

Taurus-PROTECT uses FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSMs as its root of trust, with FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and 4 hardware in air-gapped cold storage deployments, and FIPS-certified encrypted USB media in the physical air gap transfer process.

FIPS 140, explained

Is FIPS certification enough by itself?
No, it certifies the module, not the system. It must combine with audited key ceremonies, quorum governance, and deployment controls; but without certified hardware at the root, the rest cannot compensate.

Talk to our experts →

Compliance and deployment

FIPS 140

FIPS 140 is the US government standard for validating cryptographic modules, with security levels from 1 to 4 covering tamper evidence, tamper resistance, and environmental protections. FIPS 140-2 Level 3 and FIPS 140-3 Level 3 are the benchmarks banks require for custody HSMs.

Reading FIPS levels in custody due diligence

Level 3 adds physical tamper resistance and identity-based authentication; Level 4 adds environmental attack protection. The certificate must cover the module actually deployed and the algorithms actually used, a detail worth verifying in vendor claims.

Taurus-PROTECT uses FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSMs as its root of trust, with FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and 4 hardware in air-gapped cold storage deployments, and FIPS-certified encrypted USB media in the physical air gap transfer process.

FIPS 140, explained

Is FIPS certification enough by itself?
No, it certifies the module, not the system. It must combine with audited key ceremonies, quorum governance, and deployment controls; but without certified hardware at the root, the rest cannot compensate.

Talk to our experts →

Brand

Compliance and deployment

FIPS 140

FIPS 140 is the US government standard for validating cryptographic modules, with security levels from 1 to 4 covering tamper evidence, tamper resistance, and environmental protections. FIPS 140-2 Level 3 and FIPS 140-3 Level 3 are the benchmarks banks require for custody HSMs.

Reading FIPS levels in custody due diligence

Level 3 adds physical tamper resistance and identity-based authentication; Level 4 adds environmental attack protection. The certificate must cover the module actually deployed and the algorithms actually used, a detail worth verifying in vendor claims.

Taurus-PROTECT uses FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSMs as its root of trust, with FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and 4 hardware in air-gapped cold storage deployments, and FIPS-certified encrypted USB media in the physical air gap transfer process.

FIPS 140, explained

Is FIPS certification enough by itself?
No, it certifies the module, not the system. It must combine with audited key ceremonies, quorum governance, and deployment controls; but without certified hardware at the root, the rest cannot compensate.

Talk to our experts →

Brand

Compliance and deployment

FIPS 140

FIPS 140 is the US government standard for validating cryptographic modules, with security levels from 1 to 4 covering tamper evidence, tamper resistance, and environmental protections. FIPS 140-2 Level 3 and FIPS 140-3 Level 3 are the benchmarks banks require for custody HSMs.

Reading FIPS levels in custody due diligence

Level 3 adds physical tamper resistance and identity-based authentication; Level 4 adds environmental attack protection. The certificate must cover the module actually deployed and the algorithms actually used, a detail worth verifying in vendor claims.

Taurus-PROTECT uses FIPS 140-2 Level 3 HSMs as its root of trust, with FIPS 140-3 Level 3 and 4 hardware in air-gapped cold storage deployments, and FIPS-certified encrypted USB media in the physical air gap transfer process.

FIPS 140, explained

Is FIPS certification enough by itself?
No, it certifies the module, not the system. It must combine with audited key ceremonies, quorum governance, and deployment controls; but without certified hardware at the root, the rest cannot compensate.

Talk to our experts →