Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 140-3 defines U.S. government security requirements for cryptographic modules.
A cryptographic module is a set of hardware, software, firmware, or a combination of these components that implements cryptographic functions within a defined cryptographic boundary.
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The module implements cryptographic algorithms and other security functions.
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The module can include key-generation functionality.
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The cryptographic boundary defines the components that are subject to the FIPS 140-3 requirements.