Valérie Mayer | Data Security Product Marketer
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Valérie Mayer | Data Security Product Marketer
More About This Author >
Thales Luna Network Hardware Security Module (HSM) 7 has been certified for NATO Secret classification. This milestone matters: it signals readiness, resilience, and a security posture built for environments where compromise is never an option.
NATO does not hand out trust lightly. At the heart of modern defense operations lies classified information, and the stakes get higher with each new mission, conflict, and shift in the threat landscape.
With this classification, defense, government, and other high-security teams can confidently place Luna HSMs at the center of their most critical systems. Luna Network HSM 7 strengthens cryptographic operations, protects the entire key lifecycle, and provides a hardware root of trust that underpins the infrastructure on which their missions depend.
Meeting the Highest Standards
To better understand the importance of this certification, we must understand what NATO Secret information means. According to NATO, NATO Secret is any information whose "unauthorized disclosure could cause serious damage to NATO operations." It is the second-highest classification behind COSMIC Top Secret.
For cryptographic equipment to achieve NATO Secret classification, it must undergo rigorous testing to ensure that it keeps classified information out of the wrong hands, secures key material, resists tampering, and makes sure the supply chain can be trusted. Only devices that meet these standards are permitted to handle secret-level information across defense networks.
Secure communication and cryptographic integrity are crucial for CISOs working inside defense programs. Breaches at this level are not minor setbacks; they are significant issues. They reshape strategy, put missions at risk, but most importantly, can jeopardize national security. This is why every component in the cryptographic chain must be able to withstand the closest scrutiny. Every key must have a safe home, and every device must operate with proven assurance.
Engineered for Defense Reality
The Luna HSM portfolio has always been engineered for this. It protects cryptographic keys inside tamper-evident, FIPS-validated hardware, so the keys never leave the module's boundary. That distinction matters. Most vendors discuss robust security, but few can claim validation at a secret level from NATO authority.
This recognition builds on a year of major progress across the Thales data security ecosystem. The Luna Network HSM 7 achieved FIPS 140-3 Level 3 validation, marking the first HSM in the industry to reach this milestone.
This is more than an upgrade from the long-standing FIPS 140-2. Technology has moved on, and threats have evolved. Cryptographic modules must be able to keep up. FIPS 140-3 achieves this by aligning with global standards, strengthening lifecycle protections, sharpening authentication, and defending against new physical and side-channel attacks. It sets a new benchmark for what secure hardware must deliver, today and in the quantum future.
Thales did more than cross that bar; it cleared it across its portfolio. Luna USB HSMs are validated, as are the High Speed Encryptors that protect data in motion across classified networks. These certifications form a consistent posture that many organizations are still struggling to achieve as their 140-2 certificates approach the September 2026 sunset date.
Defense CISOs who rely on predictable compliance cycles can now move forward with greater confidence. The path is validated, the products are ready, and future-proofing has already begun.
Beyond FIPS, Luna HSMs also hold proven Common Criteria certification, which is trusted worldwide for evaluating the security of IT products in high-assurance settings. It is another layer of independent scrutiny that reinforces the message. These devices are engineered to protect mission-critical keys and are examined, tested, and validated by the authorities who govern the environments where failure is unacceptable.
Built for the Modern Battlefield
A modern military environment is a blend of kinetic operations in a highly digital environment. Every operation, from logistics to satellite communication to ISR workflows, relies on encryption. Every key is a target, every target is persistent. Threat actors are not improvising and investing. They are patient and well-resourced, which means cryptographic safeguards must be equally disciplined.
This is where Luna HSM excels. It supports strong separation of duties with multiple roles. It offers multi-person M of N control with multi-factor authentication. It provides secure audit logging, remote management, and tamper protection, keeping keys safe inside hardware designed for demanding environments.
It plugs into PKI, code signing, database encryption, IoT device attestation, and blockchain trust anchors. It accelerates cryptography at scale and establishes a robust foundation for zero-trust architectures, where identity, integrity, and confidentiality are inextricably linked.
Defense networks are complex. They stretch across continents. They include systems that evolve over decades. But the security principles remain the same. When your root of trust is strong, the rest of your cryptographic architecture can operate with confidence.
Rigorous Testing, Field Hardening
Achieving NATO Secret classification is a result of years of engineering, rigorous testing, and field hardening. It supports the transition to next-generation security, including quantum-resistant algorithms, as outlined in FIPS 140-3. For CISOs, it provides a clear path forward that meets today’s requirements and anticipates the expectations of allied defense entities tomorrow.
Most importantly, it provides assurance backed by measurable standards and independent authorities. In a world defined by accelerating threats, assurance is priceless.
If you would like to explore what this means for your environment, download the Luna HSM product brief or speak with a Thales specialist who can walk you through the specific requirements of your mission. The landscape is changing. Now is the moment to secure your cryptographic foundation.