NIST Cryptographic Standards Reference

Key NIST FIPS and Special Publications governing approved cryptographic algorithms.

FIPS Standards

The Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) define approved algorithms for US government use. FIPS 197 specifies AES, FIPS 180-4 specifies the SHA family, and FIPS 198-1 specifies HMAC. FIPS 140-3 defines validation requirements for cryptographic modules, including physical and logical boundaries. Compliance with FIPS is mandatory for many government and regulated industries.

FIPS 197: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
FIPS 180-4: Secure Hash Standard (SHA-1, SHA-2)
FIPS 202: SHA-3 Standard (Keccak)
FIPS 198-1: Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC)
FIPS 140-3: Cryptographic Module Validation requirements

Special Publications

NIST Special Publications provide guidance on algorithm selection, key management, and random number generation. SP 800-57 recommends key sizes and lifetimes. SP 800-90A specifies approved deterministic random bit generators including CTR_DRBG and HASH_DRBG. SP 800-131A transitions algorithms from allowed to deprecated status over time. Following these publications ensures alignment with federal requirements.

Deprecation Timeline

NIST periodically deprecates algorithms that no longer meet security targets. SHA-1 was deprecated for signatures after 2013 and disallowed after 2016 due to practical collision attacks. Triple DES is disallowed after 2023 for encryption. RSA with keys below 2048 bits is disallowed for generating new signatures. Applications should track these transitions and migrate before deadlines pass.