Bridging the Gap between Standards on Random Number Generation: Comparison of SP 800-90 Series and AIS 20/31 | Draft IR 8446 is Available for Public Comment
September 16, 2024

The initial public draft (ipd) of NIST Interagency Report (IR) 8446, Bridging the Gap between Standards on Random Number Generation: Comparison of SP 800-90 Series and AIS 20/31, is now available for public comment.

This report studies the cryptographic random number generation standards and guidelines written by Germany’s Federal Office for Information Security (BSI) and NIST, namely AIS 20/31 and the NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-90 series. It compares these publications, focusing on the similarities and differences in their terminology, assumptions, and requirements. The report also aims to improve communications between all involved parties, promote a shared understanding, and reduce and resolve inconsistencies in related standards.

The public comment period is open through December 20, 2024. See the publication details for a copy of the draft; comments can be submitted to rbg_comments@nist.gov. Comments received in response to this request will be posted on the NIST website after the due date.