Editing NSA cryptography

{{Refimprove|date=February 2008}}
{{Short description|Cryptography practises of the USA's National Security Agency}} 
The vast majority of the [[National Security Agency]]'s work on [[cryptography|encryption]] is [[classified information|classified]], but from time to time NSA participates in [[standardization|standards]] processes or otherwise publishes information about its cryptographic algorithms.  The NSA has categorized encryption items into four product types, and algorithms into two suites. The following is a brief and incomplete summary of public knowledge about NSA algorithms and protocols.

==Type 1 Product==
{{Main|Type 1 encryption}}
A Type 1 Product refers to an NSA endorsed classified or controlled cryptographic item for classified or sensitive U.S. government information, including cryptographic equipment, assembly or component classified or certified by NSA for encrypting and decrypting classified and sensitive national security information when appropriately keyed.<ref>"National Information Assurance Glossary"; CNSS Instruction No. 4009 [[National Information Assurance Glossary]]</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Type
!Specification
!Use
!Equipment (incomplete list)
|-
|{{Sic|ACCO|RDIAN}}
|
|R21-TECH-13-00, "{{as written|ACCO|RDIAN}} 3.0 Specification" (August 2000)
|
|[[Advanced INFOSEC Machine|AIM]] (1999 and 2004 brochures), [[SafeXcel-3340]], PSIAM <ref name=PSIAM>[http://www.viasat.com/government-communications/information-assurance/technologies ViaSat Programmable Scalable Information Assurance Model (PSIAM)]</ref>
|-
|[[Advanced Encryption Standard|AES]] (256-bit keys only)
|[[Block cipher]]
|FIPS 197
|Numerous
|Numerous
|-
|[[BATON]]
|[[Block cipher]]
|
|Various
|[[PKCS11|PKCS#11]], [[CDSA/CSSM]], [[Advanced INFOSEC Machine|AIM]] (1999 and 2004 brochures), [[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]], [[APCO Project 25]], [[MYK-85]], [[KOV-14|Fortezza Plus]], [[SecNet-11]], [[Sierra (microchip)|Sierra]], [[SafeXcel-3340]], PSIAM <ref name="PSIAM"/>
|-
|[[BAYLESS]]
|
|
|
|[[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]]
|-
|[[BYTEMAN]]
|
|
|
|[[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]]
|-
|[[CARDIGAN]]
|
|
|
|[[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]]
|-
|[[CARDHOLDER]]
|
|
|Satellite uplink command encryption
|[[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]], [[KI-17]], [[U-AYJ]] Flight Decrypt Chip (Cardholder), Flight Encrypt Chip (Cardholder), [[MYK-16]], [[CXS-810]], [[CXS-2000]], [[MCU-100]], [[MCU-600]]
|-
|[[CARIBOU]]
|
|
|Satellite uplink command encryption
|[[U-TXZ]], [[MYK-15A]]
|-
|[[CRAYON]]
|
|
|
|[[Advanced INFOSEC Machine|AIM]] (2004 brochure), [[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]] (4 modes)
|-
|[[FASTHASH]]
|[[Cryptographic hash function]]
|
|[[MISSI]] Type 1 hash
|[[PKCS]] #11, [[CDSA/CSSM]]
|-
|[[FIREFLY]] / [[Enhanced FIREFLY]]
|
|
|[[EKMS]] [[public key cryptography|public-key]] [[cooperative key generation]]
|[[AIM (2004)]], [[SafeXcel-3340]], [[SecNet54]], [[ViaSat KG-25x]], PSIAM <ref name="PSIAM"/>
|-
|[[GOODSPEED]]
|
|
|
|[[Sierra II (microchip)|Sierra II]]
|-
|[[HAVE QUICK]]
|
|
|Antijam, LPI/LPD airborne voice communication
|[[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]]
|-
|[[JACKNIFE]]
|
|
|
|[[AIM (2004) for IFF Mode 5]]
|-
|JOSEKI
|
|R21-TECH-0062-92, "JOSEKI-1, A Bootstrap Procedures" (Oct. 1992) (also R21-TECH-13-97, R21-TECH-13-98)
|Protection of secret algorithms in [[firmware]]
|[[Advanced INFOSEC Machine|AIM]], PSIAM <ref name="PSIAM"/>
|-
|JUNIPER
|[[Block cipher]]
|
|
|[[PKCS]] #11, [[CDSA/CSSM]]
|-
|[[KEESEE]]
|
|
|
|[[Advanced INFOSEC Machine|AIM]] (1999 and 2004 brochures), [[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]], PSIAM <ref name="PSIAM"/>
|-
|[[Mark XII IFF]]
|
|
|[[Identification Friend or Foe|IFF]] [[secondary surveillance radar|secondary radar]]
|[[Advanced INFOSEC Machine|AIM]] (2004 brochure)
|-
|[[MAYFLY]]
|[[Asymmetric-key algorithm]]
|
|
|[[PKCS]] #11, [[CDSA/CSSM]]
|-
|[[MEDLEY]]
|
|R21-TECH-30-01, "MEDLEY Implementation Standard" (Nov. 2001)
|
|[[AIM (2004)]], [[SecNet 54]], [[SafeXcel-3340]], ViaSat KG25x, PSIAM <ref name="PSIAM"/>
|-
|[[PEGASUS]]
|
|
|Satellite telemetry and mission data downlinks
|[[KG-227]], [[KG-228]], [[KI-17]], [[U-BLW]] Pegasus Space Microcircuit Chip, [[U-BLX]] Pegasus Ground Microcircuit Chip, [[MYK-17]], [[CXS-810]], [[CXS-2000]], [[MCU-100]], [[MCU-600]]
|-
|[[PHALANX]]
|
|
|
||[[Advanced INFOSEC Machine|AIM]] (1999 and 2004 brochures), [[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]] (PHALANX I and PHALANX II)
|-
|[[SAVILLE]]
|
|
|Low-bandwidth voice (and sometimes data) encryption
|[[Advanced INFOSEC Machine|AIM]] (1999 and 2004 brochures), [[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]] (2 modes), [[Windster]] (SAVILLE I), [[VINSON]]
|-
|[[VALLOR]]
|
|
|TTY broadcasts to submarines
|[[AIM (2004)]]
|-
|[[WALBURN]]
|
|
|High-bandwidth link encryption
|[[AIM (2004)]], [[KG-81]]/[[KG-94|94]]/[[KG-194|194]]/[[KG-95|95]]
|-
|[[PADSTONE]]
|
|
|
|[[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]] (2 modes), [[Windster]], [[Indictor]]
|-
|[[WEASEL]]
|
|
|
|[[SafeXcel-3340]]
|}

==Type 2 Product==
{{Main|Type 2 encryption}}
A Type 2 Product refers to an NSA endorsed unclassified cryptographic equipment, assemblies or components for sensitive but unclassified U.S. government information.

{| class="wikitable"
!Name
!Type
!Specification
!Use
!Equipment (incomplete list)
|-
|[[CORDOBA]]
|
|
|
|[[CYPRIS (microchip)|CYPRIS]], [[Windster]], [[Indictor]]
|-
|[[Key Exchange Algorithm|KEA]]
|[[Asymmetric-key algorithm]]
|R21-Tech-23-94, "Key Exchange Algorithm (KEA)"
|Key exchange and [[digital signature]] algorithm for [[Fortezza]], etc.
|[[Fortezza]], [[Fortezza Plus]], [[Palladium Secure Modem]]
|-
|[[Skipjack (cipher)|SKIPJACK]]
|[[Block cipher]]
|R21-Tech-044-91, "SKIPJACK"
|Confidentiality algorithm for [[Fortezza]], etc.
|[[Fortezza]], [[Fortezza Plus]], [[Palladium Secure Modem]]
|}

==Type 3 Product==
{{Main|Type 3 encryption}}
Unclassified cryptographic equipment, assembly, or component used, when appropriately keyed, for encrypting or decrypting unclassified sensitive U.S. Government or commercial information, and to protect systems requiring protection mechanisms consistent with standard commercial practices. A Type 3 Algorithm refers to NIST endorsed algorithms, registered and FIPS published, for sensitive but unclassified U.S. government and commercial information.

{| class="wikitable"
!
!Name
!Type
!Specification
!Use
!Equipment (incomplete list)
|-
|DES
|[[Data Encryption Standard]]
|[[Block cipher]]
|FIPS 46-3
|Ubiquitous
|Ubiquitous
|-
|AES
|[[Advanced Encryption Standard]]
|[[Block cipher]]
|FIPS 197
|Numerous
|Numerous
|-
|DSA
|[[Digital Signature Algorithm]]
|[[Digital signature]] system
|FIPS 186
|Numerous
|Numerous
|-
|SHA
|[[Secure Hash Algorithm]]
|[[Cryptographic hash function]]
|FIPS 180-2
|Ubiquitous
|Ubiquitous
|}

== Type 4 Product==
{{Main|Type 4 encryption}}
A Type 4 Algorithm refers to algorithms that are registered by the NIST but are not FIPS published. Unevaluated commercial cryptographic equipment, assemblies, or components that are neither NSA nor NIST certified for any Government usage.

== Algorithm Suites ==
=== Suite A ===
{{Main|NSA Suite A Cryptography}}

A set of NSA unpublished algorithms that is intended for highly sensitive communication and critical authentication systems.

=== Suite B===
{{Main|NSA Suite B Cryptography}}
A set of NSA endorsed cryptographic algorithms for use as an interoperable cryptographic base for both unclassified information and most classified information. Suite B was announced on 16 February 2005, and phased out in 2016.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.johndcook.com/blog/2019/05/23/nsa-recommendations/|title=NSA recommendations {{!}} algorithms to use until PQC|last=Cook|first=John|date=2019-05-23|website=www.johndcook.com|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=2020-02-28}}</ref>

=== Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite ===
{{Main|Commercial National Security Algorithm Suite}}
A set of cryptographic algorithms [[Promulgation|promulgated]] by the [[National Security Agency]] as a replacement for [[NSA Suite B Cryptography]] until [[post-quantum cryptography]] standards are promulgated.

===Quantum resistant suite===
{{See also|Post-quantum cryptography}}
In August 2015, NSA announced that it is planning to transition "in the not distant future" to a new cipher suite that is resistant to [[quantum computing|quantum]] attacks. "Unfortunately, the growth of [[Elliptic curve cryptography|elliptic curve]] use has bumped up against the fact of continued progress in the research on quantum computing, necessitating a re-evaluation of our cryptographic strategy." NSA advised: "For those partners and vendors that have not yet made the transition to Suite B algorithms, we recommend not making a significant expenditure to do so at this point but instead to prepare for the upcoming quantum resistant algorithm transition."<ref>{{cite news |title=NSA preps quantum-resistant algorithms to head off crypto-apocalypse |date=August 21, 2015 |work=[[Ars Technica]] |url=https://arstechnica.com/security/2015/08/nsa-preps-quantum-resistant-algorithms-to-head-off-crypto-apocolypse/ }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[NSA encryption systems]]
* [[Speck (cipher)|Speck]] and [[Simon (cipher)|Simon]], light-weight [[block cipher]]s, published by NSA in 2013

== References ==
{{reflist}}

{{Cryptography navbox}}

[[Category:National Security Agency]]
[[Category:Type 1 encryption algorithms]]
[[Category:Type 2 encryption algorithms]]
[[Category:Type 3 encryption algorithms]]
[[Category:National Security Agency encryption devices]]
[[Category:National Security Agency cryptography|*]]