nForce 300, nForce 150 and nForce 75 Cryptographic Accelerators
nForce 300, nForce 150 and nForce 75 Cryptographic Accelerators, from nCipher Corporation Ltd., holds FIPS 140-1 certificate #125 at overall level 2. The validation is historical: agencies may keep the module in existing systems but not buy it new. Below are its validation history, algorithm certificates and security policy, drawn from the NIST CMVP entry.
Caveat: When operated in FIPS mode
Certificate
| Certificate number | 125 |
|---|---|
| Standard | FIPS 140-1 |
| Status | historical |
| Overall level | 2 |
| Module type | Hardware |
| Embodiment | Multi-chip standalone |
| Vendor | nCipher Corporation Ltd. · website |
| Hardware versions | Build Standard D |
| Firmware versions | v1.54.28 |
Module description
Quoted from the NIST CMVP entry for this certificate.
The nCipher nFast/nForce/nShield range of hardware cryptographic accelerators increases server throughput in data security and electronic commerce applications such as: secure Web sites, financial transactions over the Internet, authenticated access to intranets and extranets, certification authorities and digital signatures, secure messaging including X.400/EDI.
Security level exceptions
- Roles and Services: Level 3*
- Software Security: Level 3
- EMI/EMC: Level 3
- Self Tests: Level 3*
- Key Management: Level 3*
- *(Level 3 is met in these areas when the "FIPS_level3" flag is set during initialization.)
Approved algorithms (3)
| Algorithm | CAVP certificates |
|---|---|
| DSA/SHA-1 | |
| Triple-DES | 34 |
| Triple-DES MAC; RSA | vendor affirmed |
Other algorithms
DES (Cert. #24); DES MAC; CAST5; HMAC (MD2, MD5, SHA-1 and RIPEMD160); ElGamal; and Diffie-Hellman (key agreement)
Validation history
| Date | Type | Lab |
|---|---|---|
| 2000-12-20 | Initial | DOMUS |
| 2001-03-01 | Update | |
| 2006-03-09 | Update | |
| 2006-03-15 | Update |
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: 2000-12-20, 2001-03-01, 2006-03-09, 2006-03-15