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Workshops Date   September 24-26, 2025   Sixth PQC Standardization Conference (In-Person / Virtual)           Venue:  NIST           Gaithersburg, Maryland, USA Call for Papers April 10-12, 2024 Fifth PQC Standardization Conference (In-Person)           Hilton Washington DC/Rockville Hotel           Rockville, MD Call for Papers November 29- December 1, 2022 Fourth PQC Standardization Conference           Virtual Call for Papers  June 7-9, 2021 Third...

For technical inquiries, send e-mail to [email protected], or contact: Lily Chen National Institute of Standards and Technology 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8930, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8930 P: +1 301-975-6974 or via fax at +1 301-975-8670 Email: [email protected] Answers to germane questions will be posted at https://www.nist.gov/pqcrypto. Questions and answers that are not pertinent to this announcement may not be posted. NIST will endeavor to answer all questions in a timely manner.

NIST has set up a [email protected] mailing list. The mailing list will be used to discuss the standardization and adoption of secure, interoperable and efficient post-quantum algorithms.  You must be subscribed to send email to the mailing list.  Please use the instructions below to subscribe. To join: mailto:[email protected] You will receive a response message from [email protected].  Please click the "Join" link inside that email to confirm your subscription request. To unsubscribe: mailto:[email protected] Mailing List...

Historical FAQs Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) [updated 11/18/2024] Example Files API Notes (Sept 2017) API Notes (March 2017) API Notes (November 2016) API Notes (June 2016) Source Code Files for KATs (Dec 2021) KAT (Sept 2017) KAT (June 2016) Variable Label Test #2048 (June 2016) Variable Message #2048(June 2016) Intermediate Values (June 2016) Note - the intermediate values below were for the draft versions of ML-KEM and ML-DSA.  Please use the correct test vectors for the final versions.  The Cryptographic Algorithm Validation Program (CAVP) provides full test...

The “Special Topics on Privacy and Public Auditability” (STPPA) series is organized by the Privacy Enhancing Cryptography (PEC) project in the Cryptographic Technology Group at NIST-ITL-CSD. A main goal of the series is to gather reference material about "PEC tools", which may facilitate future reflections on aspects of standardization and of development of recommendations/guidelines about advanced cryptography, namely for uses related to privacy and public auditability. Each event will include talks on various interconnected topics, aiming to convey basic technical background, incite...

A main tool of Privacy-Enhancing Cryptography (PEC) is the Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP). It enables proving the truthfulness of a mathematical statement, without revealing additional information that may have been useful in finding said truthfulness. For technical reasons, it is often useful to refer to a "ZKP of Knowledge", where the proof that a statement is true is done by proxy of proving knowledge of some secret information (witness) that is consistent with a public instance that supports the statement. For example: Statement: "The number N is a valid RSA signing key" Instance: N...

A block cipher mode of operation (mode for short) is a method that uses a block cipher to provide an information service, such as confidentiality or authentication. NIST approves the following block cipher modes of the approved block ciphers in the Special Publication (SP) 800-38 series. SP 800-38A specifies the confidentiality modes: Electronic Codebook (ECB), Cipher Block Chaining (CBC), Cipher Feedback (CFB), Output Feedback (OFB), and Counter (CTR) modes. Additionally, SP 800-38A Addendum specifies three variants of ciphertext stealing (CS) for the CBC mode: the CBC-CS1, CBC-CS2, and...

NIST's Policy on Hash Functions - December 15, 2022 December 15, 2022 NIST is announcing a timeline for a transition for SHA-1. See this announcement for details. After 12/31/2030, any FIPS 140 validated cryptographic module that has SHA-1 as an approved algorithm will be moved to the historical list. NIST recommends that federal agencies transition away from SHA-1 for all applications as soon as possible. Federal agencies should use SHA-2 or SHA-3 as an alternative to SHA-1. Further guidance will be available soon. Send questions on the transition to [email protected]....

A cryptographic hash algorithm (alternatively, hash "function") is designed to provide a random mapping from a string of binary data to a fixed-size “message digest” and achieve certain security properties. Hash algorithms can be used for digital signatures, message authentication codes, key derivation functions, pseudo random functions, and many other security applications. The Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS 180-4), Secure Hash Standard, specifies seven cryptographic hash algorithms for Federal use, and is widely adopted by the information technology industry as well. In...

The following publications provide general key management guidance: Recommendation for Key Management December 5, 2025: An initial public draft of SP 800-57 Part 1 Revision 6 is available for comment through February 5, 2026.   SP 800-57 Part 1 Revision 5 - General This Recommendation provides cryptographic key-management guidance. It consists of three parts. Part 1 provides general guidance and best practices for the management of cryptographic keying material, including definitions of the security services that may be provided when using cryptography and the algorithms and key...

The following publications specify methods for establishing cryptographic keys.   Symmetric Block Ciphers SP 800-71, Key Establishment Using Symmetric Block Ciphers (DRAFT) July 2, 2018:  NIST requests public comments on NIST SP 800-71.  Most current key management systems are based on public key cryptography. However, with the emergence of quantum computing technology—which can break many public key algorithms currently in use—symmetric key cryptography may offer alternatives for key establishment. Symmetric key cryptography is more computationally efficient than public key...

Cryptographic Key Management (CKM) is a fundamental part of cryptographic technology and is considered one of the most difficult aspects associated with its use. Of particular concern are the scalability of the methods used to distribute keys and the usability of these methods. NIST has undertaken an effort to improve the overall key management strategies used by the public and private sectors in order to enhance the usability of cryptographic technology, provide scalability across cryptographic technologies, and support a global cryptographic key management infrastructure. CKMS Publications...

At the beginning of each fiscal year (FY), NIST CMVP prepares a budget justification for the NIST Cost Recovery fees for the following fiscal year. The NIST Budget office reviews the information and is the approver for the final NIST Cost Recovery fees for the following fiscal year. FY17: begins October 1, 2016; ends September 30, 2017. FY18: begins October 1, 2017; ends September 30, 2018. The NIST Cost Recovery fees for FY17 and FY18 are (see Implementation Guidance (IG) G.8 for an explanation of the different scenarios):     FY17 FY18 CR...

The following table summarizes the first several years of FIPS 140-3 development. Date Activity 2/12/2005 Federal Register Notice: Announcing Development of Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 140-3, a Revision of FIPS 140-2, Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules.   2/28/2005 Public comment period ended for new and revised requirements for FIPS 140-3. 9/26/2005-9/29/2005 Physical Security Testing Workshop 3/31/2007 NIST completed preparing the first public draft of FIPS 140-3 and began the NIST /...

A whole bunch of text   Apple macOS Security Configuration

NIST has set up an [email protected] mail listserve. The listserve will be used to discuss the standardization and adoption of secure, interoperable, and efficient High-Performance Computing Security working draft and other items related to this project. You must be subscribed to send email to the listserve. You can use the instructions below to subscribe. To join: [email protected] You will receive a response message from [email protected]. Please follow the steps to complete the subscription.  To unsubscribe:...

Old draft: Microsoft Word PDF

Archived. This page is archived for informational purposes only. See End-of-Life Announcement: NIST SCAP Validation Program. Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) Version 1.3 Validation Program Test Requirements (NIST IR 7511 rev. 5)  released April 2018 includes updates pertaining to platforms, component specification test requirements, and introduces module validation as well as the SCAP Inside labeling program. Please see the Summary of Changes table for a complete list of changes between NISTIR 7511 Revision 4 and NISTIR 7511 Revision 5. SCAP Capabilities Authenticated...

Archived. This page is archived for informational purposes only. See End-of-Life Announcement: NIST SCAP Validation Program. Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) Version 1.2 Validation Program Test Requirements (NIST IR 7511 Rev. 4) released January 2016 includes updates pertaining to platforms, component specification test requirements, and introduces module validation as well as the SCAP Inside labeling program. Please see the Summary of Changes table for a complete list of changes between NISTIR 7511 Revision 3 and NISTIR 7511 Revision 4. SCAP Capabilities Authenticated...

Archived. This page is archived for informational purposes only. See End-of-Life Announcement: NIST SCAP Validation Program. Security Content Automation Protocol Validated Products and Modules This webpage contains a list of products and modules that have been validated by NIST as conforming to the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) and its component standards. SCAP validated products and modules have completed formal testing at an NVLAP accredited laboratory and meet all requirements as defined in NIST IR 7511. A module is defined as a software component that may be embedded in...

Archived. This page is archived for informational purposes only. See End-of-Life Announcement: NIST SCAP Validation Program. SCAP 1.3 Documents SCAP Version 1.3 Validation Program Derived Test Requirements Revision: 5 Status: Final Specification: Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP) Version 1.3 Validation Program Test Requirements SCAP: Security Content Automation Protocol Version: 1.3 Status: Final Specification: The Technical Specification for the Security Content Automation Protocol (SCAP): SCAP Version 1.3 SCAP: Annex to NIST Special Publication 800-126 Revision 3 Version:...

Archived. This page is archived for informational purposes only. See End-of-Life Announcement: NIST SCAP Validation Program. The NIST SCAP Validation Program has concluded. NVLAP terminated SCAP Testing accreditation effective September 2, 2025, and SCAP test methods were removed from affected NVLAP scopes of accreditation as of that date.  NVLAP accepted SCAP Validation Test Reports from accredited laboratories only until 12:00 AM (midnight) EDT on September 2, 2025.  Previously accredited laboratories (historical reference only) The organizations below were listed as NVLAP-accredited...

Completed Specifications and Guidelines The SWID Tag format, defined by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standard ISO/IEC 19770-2, is a structured metadata format for describing a software product. NIST recommends use of the latest version of this standard, ISO/IEC 19770-2:2015. A SWID Tag document is composed of a structured set of data elements that identify the software product, characterize the product's version, identify the organizations and individuals that had a role in the production and distribution of...

The following is an excerpt from NIST Internal Report (NISTIR) 8060: Guidelines for the Creation of Interoperable Software Identification (SWID) Tags. The SWID specification defines four types of SWID tags: primary, patch, corpus, and supplemental. Primary Tag: A SWID Tag that identifies and describes a software product is installed on a computing device. Patch Tag: A SWID Tag that identifies and describes an installed patch which has made incremental changes to a software product installed on a computing device. Corpus Tag: A SWID Tag that identifies and describes an installable...

While SWID Tags demonstrate a possible standards-based way of tracking the state of installed software products, their fitness to support patch management processes depends on the availability and accuracy of deployed tags. Unfortunately, today most vendors never update a tag after it is installed on the endpoint. As a result, these tags fall out of date as soon as that product is updated. Once this happens, these tags are no longer usable for patch or update management as the state of the associated software product will differ from that reported by the tag. To address this issue, vendors...