Federal agencies purchasing cryptographic-based security systems must confirm an associated FIPS 140-2 certificate exists. This procurement “check-box” item is a deal-breaker. Vendor claims of “designed for FIPS” or “FIPS ready” are not sufficient to pass this hurdle. There is an advantage in selecting a product with a FIPS 140-2 certificate over a solution that has not undergone the rigorous approval process.