808bits

nShield F3 6000e, nShield F3 1500e, nShield F3 500e, nShield F3 10e, nShield F3 6000e for nShield Connect, nShield F3 1500e for nShield Connect and nShield F3 500e for nShield Connect

FIPS 140-2 certificate #1203 · Thales - nCipher · data as of 2026-08-28
Historical. RNG SP800-131A Revision 1 Transition. Federal agencies may reference historical validations for existing systems only, not for new procurement.
Caveat: When operated in FIPS mode and initialized to Overall Level 2 per Security Policy

Certificate

Certificate number1203
StandardFIPS 140-2
Statushistorical
Overall level2
Module typeHardware
EmbodimentMulti-chip embedded
VendorThales - nCipher · website
Hardware versionsnC4033E-6K0, nC4033E-1K5, nC4033E-500, nC4033E-030, nC4033E-6K0N, nC4033E-1K5N and nC4033E-500N, Build Standard N
Firmware versions2.38.4-2 and 2.38.7-2

Module description

The nCipher modules: nShield F3 6000e, Shield F3 1500e, nShield F3 500e, nShield 10e, nShield F3 6000e for nShield Connect, nShield F3 1500e for nShield Connect and nShield F3 500e for nShield Connect family of secure e-commerce HSM's are multi-tasking hardware modules that is optimized for performing modular arithmetic on very large integers. The nCipher modules are FIPS 140-2 level 2 embedded devices. The units are identical in operation and only vary in the processing speed.

Security level exceptions

  • Roles, Services, and Authentication: Level 3
  • Physical Security: Level 3
  • Design Assurance: Level 3

Approved algorithms

AlgorithmCAVP certificate
AES994, 397
AES GCM994
DSA341
ECDSA121
HMAC560
RNG564
RSA478
SHS960
Triple-DES775, 435
Triple-DES MACvendor affirmed

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 112 and 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

DateTypeLab
2009-10-06InitialDOMUS
2009-12-08Update
2010-02-17Update

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, 2009-12-08, 2010-02-17

Source documents