Do all cryptographic modules in use in your solution conform to the Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS PUB 140-2 or 140-3)?

FIPS validation is at the center of this requirement: every cryptographic module in your solution should conform to Federal Information Processing Standards 140-2 or 140-3.

FIPS 140-2/140-3 are U.S. government security standards that specify requirements for cryptographic modules. These standards ensure that cryptographic tools meet minimum security requirements and have been properly tested and validated. FIPS 140-2 was the standard until 2019 when FIPS 140-3 was introduced as its replacement, though many validated modules still reference 140-2.

Why this is asked in security assessments:

1. Regulatory compliance: Many regulated industries (healthcare, finance, government) require FIPS-validated cryptography
2. Security assurance: FIPS validation provides independent verification that cryptographic implementations are secure
3. Risk management: Using validated cryptography reduces the risk of weak encryption implementations

To best answer this question:
- Inventory all cryptographic modules in your solution (encryption libraries, HSMs, secure elements, etc.)
- Verify if they have FIPS 140-2 or 140-3 validation certificates
- If using third-party services, check if they use FIPS-validated cryptography
- Be honest about any non-FIPS compliant components, explaining compensating controls if applicable
- Include validation certificate numbers when possible for verification