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    Glossary
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symmetric key

Abbreviations / Acronyms / Synonyms:

Secret key

Definitions:

  A cryptographic key that is used to perform both the cryptographic operation and its inverse (e.g., to encrypt, decrypt, create a message authentication code, or verify a message authentication code).
Sources:
FIPS 201-3 under Symmetric Key

  A cryptographic key that is used to perform both the cryptographic operation and its inverse, for example to encrypt and decrypt, or create a message authentication code and to verify the code.
Sources:
CNSSI 4009-2015

  A cryptographic key used by one or more (authorized) entities in a symmetric-key cryptographic algorithm; the key is not made public.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-133 Rev. 2 under Secret key

  See Secret key.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-133 Rev. 2 under Symmetric key
NIST SP 800-152 under Symmetric key

  A cryptographic key used by a secret-key (symmetric) cryptographic algorithm and that is not made public.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-152 under Secret key

  A cryptographic key used to perform both the cryptographic operation and its inverse. For example, to encrypt and decrypt or create a message authentication code and to verify the code.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-63-3 under Symmetric Key

  A cryptographic key that is shared between two or more entities and used with a cryptographic application to process information.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-56B Rev. 2 under Symmetric key

  A single cryptographic key that is used by one or more entities with a symmetric key algorithm.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-57 Part 2 Rev.1 under Symmetric key

  A single cryptographic key that is used with a symmetric (secret key) cryptographic algorithm and is not made public (i.e., the key is kept secret). A secret key is also called a symmetric key.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-175B Rev. 1 under Secret key

  The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-175B Rev. 1 under Secret key

  Compare with a private key, which is used with a public-key (asymmetric-key) algorithm.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-175B Rev. 1 under Secret key

  A single cryptographic key that is used with a symmetric (secret key) algorithm, is uniquely associated with one or more entities, and is not made public (i.e., the key is kept secret); a symmetric key is often called a secret key.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-175B Rev. 1 under Symmetric key

  A single cryptographic key that is used with a symmetric-key cryptographic algorithm, is uniquely associated with one or more entities and is not made public (i.e., the key is kept secret). A secret key is also called a Symmetric key. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-57 Part 1 Rev. 5 under Secret key

  A single cryptographic key that is used with a symmetric-key cryptographic algorithm, is uniquely associated with one or more entities, and is not made public (i.e., the key is kept secret). A symmetric key is often called a secret key. See Secret key.
Sources:
NIST SP 800-57 Part 1 Rev. 5 under Symmetric key

  A single cryptographic key that is used with a symmetric-key algorithm; also called a secret key. A symmetric-key algorithm is a cryptographic algorithm that uses the same secret key for an operation and its complement (e.g., encryption and decryption).
Sources:
NIST SP 800-56C Rev. 2 under Symmetric key