nShield F3 4000, nShield F3 2000, nShield F3 2000 for NetHSM, nShield F3 500 and nShield F3 500 for NetHSM

Certificate

Module description

The nShield modules: nCipher 4000, nShield 2000, nShield 2000 for NetHSM, nShield 500, and nShield 500 for NetHSM family of secure e-commerce HSM's are multi-tasking hardware modules that is optimized for performing modular arithmetic on very large integers. The nShield modules are FIPS 140-2 level 3 embedded devices. The units are identical in operation and only vary in the processing speed.

Security level exceptions

• Physical Security: Level 3 + EFP/EFT

Approved algorithms

Other algorithms

ARC FOUR; Aria; Camellia; CAST 6; DES; MD5; SEED; HMAC-MD5, HMAC-Tiger, HMAC-RIPEMD160; RIPEMD 160; Tiger; El-Gamal; KCDSA; HAS 160; AES (Cert. #994, key wrapping; key establishment methodology provides between 128 and 256 bits of encryption strength); Diffie-Hellman (key agreement; key establishment methodology provides between 112and 256 bits of encryption strength; non-compliant less than 112 bits of encryption strength); EC Diffie-Hellman (key agreement; key establishment methodology provides 192 bits of encryption strength); RSA (key wrapping; key establishment methodology provides between 112 and 256 bits of encryption strength; non-compliant less than 112 bits of encryption strength), ECMQV (key agreement; key establishment methodology provides between 112 and 256 bits of encryption strength; non-compliant less than 112 bits of encryption strength); NDRNG; DSA (FIPS 186-3; non-compliant); ECDSA (FIPS 186-3; non-compliant)

Validation history

Status timeline

As observed by this tracker's snapshots. NIST publishes no dates for list moves; observation began 2026-08-21, so earlier changes carry no date.

• 2026-08-21: first observed by this tracker, status historical
• Validation dates on record: 2009-10-06, 2010-02-17

Source documents

• NIST certificate page
• Security policy (PDF)