The FIPS 140-2 validation process is known for its rigor and is required for providing services to highly secure organizations like US federal government and defense agencies. Many vendors list their systems as ‘compliant’ with FIPS 140-2, but not all have been validated by a third-party testing laboratory to meet requirements for areas such as random number generation, key management, and approved algorithms. CTERA’s edge filers, software agents, and portal are all included under the validated designation.