Philosophy and FIPS 140-2 Specialization
March 29, 2018 •Walt Paley
I’ve been thinking a lot lately about specialization – what it means in everyday life, how it affects our operations in a startup, and the technology sector in general.
“When every individual person labors apart, and only for himself, his force is too small to execute any considerable work; his labor being employed in supplying all his different necessities, he never attains a perfection in any particular art”
David Hume
A Treatise of Human Nature (1739)
The Scottish philosopher David Hume made a very strong point in his musings on the division of labor nearly 300 years ago. The excerpt above is one that particularly resonated with me. An individual trying to succeed in every area is unlikely to be particularly good in any, while an individual focused on a more narrow expertise can become extremely skilled in that area, becoming more valuable to the community.
We are certainly in an age of specialization, where tasks become more effective to farm out to subject matter experts as they become more difficult, more rare, or both. FIPS 140-2 validation qualifies as both. SafeLogic provides a solution to a problem that most folks don’t plan to encounter repeatedly. They don’t typically have the expertise to solve it themselves, or the time to learn, let alone the desire or ability.
Could you figure it out on the fly? Sure! I know a guy who gave himself a tattoo, but I wouldn’t recommend it.
Want to flex those DIY muscles? Learn to change the oil in your car. You can practice on a regular basis. (Although apparently every three thousand miles is a thing of the past. Check your owner’s manual. Your mileage may vary.)
For things that occur rarely or unexpectedly, specialists are usually your best bet. Medical procedures (amateur surgery never seems to pan out) and complicated repairs come to mind. (Anyone seen the Modern Family episode when Phil tries to fix the washing machine?)
With SafeLogic’s CryptoComply modules, you don’t need an in-house expert. You don’t need expensive consultants to hold your hand and instruct your team. The work has already been done, packaged up, and it’s ready for integration, all thanks to FIPS 140-2 specialization. Do it once, do it quickly, and never worry about it again.
There are many possible roads to FIPS 140-2 validation. There are no bonus points for picking a more difficult path, so why not choose SafeLogic? We are faster, more efficient, require less effort, and cost less than alternative FIPS 140-2 validation strategies. Let’s talk.

Walt Paley
Walter Paley is the VP of Communications for SafeLogic. He is responsible for strategy, content, marketing, and outreach. Walt has worked with a series of start-ups and companies in growth stages, including Nukona (acquired by Symantec), Qubole, Bitzer Mobile (acquired by Oracle), and TigerText, among others. An Alumnus of the psychology program at UC San Diego, Walt lives in Southern California with his wife, kids, and their black lab, Echo.
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