Level 2 means the product has tamper-evident coatings to ensure that any corruption of the device would be noticeable.
Level 3 is for cryptographic modules that delete stored keys if they detect a physical attack on, say, circuit components. At Level 3, the product must require authenticated access.
Level 4 requires that a product provide protection from attacks that attempt to thwart physical access controls, such as supercooling.
Most security products receive FIPS-140-2 Level 2 or Level 3 certification, which is sufficient as long as the modules are contained in a controlled environment such as a machine room.
Another Puzzle Piece
To realize the benefits of cloud-native software, an application must actually be cloud-native—designed to run in the cloud, interacting with disaggregated cloud services, fully manageable as code—to deliver the expected benefits.
By combining resources and expertise, the AI-Enabled ICT Workforce Consortium will offer a blueprint for how industries can adapt to an AI-dominated future.
IT leaders should heed the guidance of cybersecurity insurance providers who think businesses should prioritize security education, incident preparedness, regular internal audits, and ongoing vulnerability scanning and patching.
