NIST Requests Public Comments on the SP 800-56 Subseries | Recommendations for Key Establishment
December 11, 2024

NIST maintains its cryptography standards and guidelines using a periodic review process.

Currently, we are reviewing the following publications:

• NIST Special Publication (SP) 800-56Ar3, Recommendation for Pair-Wise Key-Establishment Schemes Using Discrete Logarithm Cryptography, 2018
• NIST SP 800-56Br2, Recommendation for Pair-Wise Key-Establishment Using Integer Factorization Cryptography, 2019
• NIST SP 800-56Cr2, Recommendation for Key-Derivation Methods in Key-establishment Schemes, 2020.

NIST requests feedback on all aspects of these publications. In particular, NIST would appreciate guidance for modifications to SP 800-56C when used with quantum-resistant Key-Establishment Mechanisms (KEMs) (e.g., as specified in FIPS 203) as well as in hybrid key-establishment schemes.

The public comment period is open through January 31, 2025. Comments may address the concerns raised in this announcement or other issues around security, implementation, clarity, risk, or relevance to current applications.

Send comments to cryptopubreviewboard@nist.gov with “Comments on SP 800-56A," "Comments on SP 800-56B," or “Comments on SP 800-56C” as the subject.

Comments received in response to this request will be posted on the Crypto Publication Review Project site after the due date. Submitters’ names and affiliations (when provided) will be included, while contact information will be removed. See the project site for additional information about the review process.