FIPS 140-3 sets updated security requirements for the cryptographic technology used to protect sensitive data, and the transition affects far more than a single software library or product certification. While it isn’t a wholesale technical overhaul, FIPS 140-3 aligns the validation process with international standards, introducing new testing and procedural expectations.
As organizations modernize products, cloud environments, AI systems and vendor standards, leaders must determine where the rules apply, how systems interact and whether compliance will hold up as technology changes. Handled poorly, that work could trigger late-stage redesigns, unnecessary reviews and bottlenecks that slow development without meaningfully improving security. Below, members of Forbes Technology Council discuss common mistakes leaders should avoid as they prepare for FIPS 140-3 and how they can build compliance into everyday operations without putting innovation on pause.
Build FIPS Into The Development Pipeline
The biggest mistake is treating FIPS 140-3 as a one-time certification project instead of an ongoing requirement baked into how you build. Leaders check the box, pass the audit and then keep shipping updates the same old way until a new module, vendor patch or cloud migration quietly breaks compliance nobody’s watching for. Bake FIPS 140-3 into your development pipeline. Validate cryptographic modules as part of your normal build and release process. - Yochai Corem, Cyberint
