Federal Information Processing Standards

Federal Information Processing Standards (FIPS) are a set of standards that describe document processing, encryption algorithms, and other information technology standards for use within non-military government agencies and by government contractors and vendors who work with the agencies.

History

The Federal Information Processing Standards were first established by the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)) in 1960. The standards are approved by the Secretary of Commerce and are legally binding on all federal agencies.

Purpose

The purpose of the Federal Information Processing Standards is to ensure that all federal agencies have a basic level of interoperability when it comes to information technology systems. This is achieved by providing standards for various aspects of information technology, including data encryption, document processing, and more.

Standards

There are currently over 100 Federal Information Processing Standards, covering a wide range of topics. Some of the most well-known include:

• FIPS 140-2: Security Requirements for Cryptographic Modules
• FIPS 197: Advanced Encryption Standard (AES)
• FIPS 199: Standards for Security Categorization of Federal Information and Information Systems

Criticism

Despite their widespread use, the Federal Information Processing Standards have been criticized for being outdated and not keeping pace with technological advancements. In particular, the standards have been criticized for their focus on symmetric-key algorithms, which are considered less secure than asymmetric-key algorithms.

See also

• National Institute of Standards and Technology
• Information technology
• Data encryption