Observations from a CC newcomer If you’re new to Common Criteria (CC), you might be feeling a little overwhelmed and find yourself wondering if the effort in performing the certification is really worth it. As a newcomer to the industry …
NIST 800-90B Input Data Considerations
For the past few years, the Common Criteria program has been mandating entropy analysis for almost all protection profile based evaluations. Since November 2020, NIST 800-90B has also become a mandatory requirement under the FIPS 140-2 and the forthcoming FIPS …
The Role of Cryptographic Algorithm Validations in Common Criteria (CAVP FAQ)
[Updated July 6, 2021 – NIAP requires exact match CPU specs in CAVP certificates] Most CC evaluations performed in North America include cryptographic security claims called out in the target Protection Profile (PP) that is being used. Those requirements are …
Explicitly Parameterized ECDSA X.509 Certificates
Update 2020-Aug-20: There appears to be a discussion within the OpenSSL project on the semantics of checking the OpenSSL flag we describe below. We are working to clarify this. NIAP (the US Common Criteria Scheme) recently published a series of …
Multi-CA Capable OCSP Responder in OpenSSL
At Lightship, we use a lot of open-source tools to perform our testing. Because of the nature of the tests we perform, we often find that these tools can be a bit too rigid. One specific example is that of …
Improving Product Security Through Protection Profiles
It’s surprising to think that new-style Common Criteria Protection Profiles have been around in some way shape, or form, since late 2010, when the first Network Devices Protection Profile (NDPP) v1.0 was released by the Information Assurance Directorate (IAD) for …
What’s New in NDcPP v2.2?
The Network Device international Technical Community recently (in December 2019) published version 2.2 of the collaborative Protection Profile for Network Devices – aka – NDcPP. The NDcPP is the most often used Common Criteria Protection Profile to achieve listing on …
NIAP Requests for a Mitigation Plan
Vendors with products on NIAP’s Common Criteria Product Compliant List (PCL) may from time-to-time receive a request from NIAP for a mitigation plan addressing a given widespread vulnerability (e.g. Meltdown, Spectre etc.). This is in keeping with NIAP Policy 17 …
Canada Open for EAL4
The Canadian Centre for Cyber Security recently released its updated Common Criteria (CC) Program Instructions which state that they will consider accepting EAL3 and EAL4 evaluations on a case by case basis. Evaluations were previously restricted to those claiming an …
Game of Certifications: A Song of Common Criteria Requirements
If you’ve ever spent any amount of time delving into the world of Common Criteria (CC), you’ve no doubt come across the veritable Roman/biblical hierarchy of relationships between the various components. At times, it would make even Cersei Lannister blush. …