#Fips 140 3

FIPS 140-3 is not a security guarantee, and auditors know it

FIPS 140-3 certification validates only that a cryptographic module implements approved algorithms correctly in a specific configuration—it does not guarantee the security of the product, its deployment, or key management practices. Despite widespread reliance on FIPS certification, multiple certified modules have shipped with critical exploitable flaws (ROCA, EUCLEAK, Dual_EC_DRBG) that persisted undetected for years, and certified configurations sometimes prove less secure than uncertified alternatives, creating a dangerous gap between what procurement teams believe the certificate covers and what it actually guarantees.