Cisco is Transitioning from FIPS 140-2 to FIPS 140-3

Encryption is paramount to offering integrity and confidentiality to guard our federal prospects’ knowledge. There are many alternative cryptographic algorithms (resembling block cipher, symmetric and uneven algorithms) which can be accessible that may encrypt and convert knowledge into unreadable ciphertext. The methodology to do that have to be safe. Being Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) validated ensures that the encryption strategies used have been independently reviewed and examined earlier than being deployed. FIPS authorized algorithms, to incorporate the transition to the brand new FIPS 140-3 necessities, have endured intensive safety evaluation and are frequently examined to make sure that they may present enough safety.

The FIPS 140-3 timeline

The FIPS 140-3 normal supersedes FIPS 140-2, and it grew to become efficient September 22, 2019. Validation efforts below FIPS 140-3 started in September 2020.  FIPS 140-3 covers a mess of vulnerabilities and threats defining safety necessities for Cisco from preliminary design to operational deployment. On April 1, 2021, The Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) now not excepted FIPS 140-2 submissions for brand spanking new validation certificates and validation ended for FIPS 140-2 on September 22, 2021. These FIPS 140-2 modules can stay energetic till September 21, 2026, then can be moved to the Historical List. Customers should buy off the Historical List and use the FIPS 140-2 modules for current purposes solely. You can can discover extra right here at NIST.

Cisco has a number of FIPS 140-3 validations in course of and can proceed to maneuver the portfolio of FIPS 140-2 validations to FIPS 140-3 over the following a number of years.

Cisco’s Global Certification and Common Security Modules Team has carried out an revolutionary strategy to expedite FIPS certifications. They have developed a crypto module that’s already FIPS-validated and will be embedded in Cisco merchandise. It is necessary to notice that the crypto module is already FIPS-validated, so the Cisco product using it might declare compliance to FIPS 140.

What is a cryptographic module?

A cryptographic module is a software program or {hardware} machine/element that performs cryptographic operations securely implementing the cryptographic logic and processes that assist the safety capabilities in a pc or digital system. The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) notes that the areas coated, associated to the safe design and implementation of a cryptographic module, embody:

• Specification
• Ports and Interfaces
• Roles
• Services
• Authentication
• Finite State Module
• Physical Security
• Operational Environment
• Cryptographic Key Management
• Electromagnetic Interference/Electromagnetic Compatibility
• Self-Tests
• Design Assurance and,
• Mitigation of different Attacks.

Cryptographic Modules that conform to FIPS make use of authorized safety capabilities resembling cryptographic algorithms, cryptographic key administration strategies, and authentication strategies.

Understanding FIPS 140-2

The FIPS 140-2 normal stipulates the safety necessities wanted by a cryptographic module. In a nut shell, FIPS 140-2 is a pc safety cryptography normal utilized by the United States Federal Government when cryptographic-based safety methods and telecommunication methods are used to offer safety of delicate however unclassified knowledge as outlined in Section 5131 of the Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996, Public Law 104-106. Cisco is required to satisfy this normal to have the ability to promote its merchandise into federal companies such because the Intelligence Community and Department of Defense.

Protecting cryptographic modules is important to take care of the confidentiality and integrity of the knowledge that’s being protected. The FIPS 140-2 normal bears 4 ranges of accelerating safety:

1. Security Level 1: Provides primary safety necessities for a cryptographic module. Level 1 will need to have a minimum of one authorized algorithm or authorized safety perform. No particular bodily safety mechanisms are required.
2. Security Level 2: Enhances the bodily safety mechanisms of a Security Level 1 cryptographic module by including the requirement of tamper-evidence (coatings or seals or decide resistant. Locks on detachable covers or doorways of the module). This degree additionally requires role-based authentication through which a cryptographic module authenticator permits the authorization of an operator to imagine a particular function.  The system should even be evaluated on the Common Criteria analysis assurance degree EAL2 or increased.
3. Security Level 3: In addition to the tamper-evident bodily safety mechanisms required at Level 2, Security Level 3 necessities stop an intruder from getting access to the crucial safety parameters (CSPs) held inside the cryptographic module. Physical safety mechanisms at this degree can detect and reply to bodily entry, use, or modification. This degree additionally requires identity-based authentication mechanisms which boosts the safety supplied by degree 2 role-based authentication mechanisms. The system should even be evaluated on the Common Criteria analysis assurance degree EAL3 or increased.
4. Security Level 4: This degree offers the best degree of safety outlined in FIPS 140-2. The bodily safety mechanisms should present an entire envelope of safety across the cryptographic module with the intent of detecting and responding to all unauthorized makes an attempt at bodily entry. This degree additionally protects the cryptographic module in opposition to environmental situations or variations of regular working ranges of voltage and temperature. Intentional junkets past the conventional working ranges could also be utilized by an attacker to bypass a cryptographic modules protection. The system should even be evaluated on the Common Criteria analysis assurance degree EAL4 or increased.

FIPS 140-2 and FIPS 140-3 differentiation

NIST notes that the brand new FIPS 140-3 introduces some important adjustments from FIPS 140-2. For instance, quite than encompassing the module necessities straight, FIPS 140-3 references ISO/IEC 19790:2012. NIST additionally notes that the testing for these ISO/IEC 19790:2012 necessities can be outlined with ISO/IEC 24759:2017.

NIST goes on to say that there are few main technical requirement adjustments from FIPS 140-2 to FIPS 140-3, however the utilization of those ISO paperwork requires procedural adjustments within the administration and execution of the validation program and course of. FIPS 140-2 to FIPS 140-3 differentiation is as follows:

• When FIPS 140-2 was first written, encryption modules had been all {hardware} modules. Over time nevertheless, several types of modules had been created (e.g., software program and firmware modules, in addition to hybrid modules). The new FIPS 140-3 normal will embody {hardware} modules, software program modules, hybrid-software modules, and hybrid firmware modules.
• FIPS 140-2 additionally restricted hybrid modules to solely a FIPS 140-2 Level 1 validation certification. FIPS 140-3 doesn’t have this restriction, now a hybrid module will be validated at any degree within the new normal.
• FIPS 140-2 required {that a} module assist the next roles: person function, crypto officer function, and a upkeep function (this function was non-obligatory). The FIPS 140-3 normal nonetheless has these three roles, however the crypto officer function is the one one that’s required. Both the person function and the upkeep function are non-obligatory in FIPS 140-3.
• Within ISO 19790 the FIPS 140-3 normal is just like the FIPS 140-2 normal the place Level 1 has no authentication necessities, degree 2 has minimal role-based authentication, and degree 3 has identity-based authentication. The distinction now’s that FIPS 140-3 degree 4 authentication requires multi-factor identification.

Additional sources on FIPS 140-3

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