808bits

nShield Solo XC F2

FIPS 140-2 certificate #3040 · nCipher Security Limited · data as of 2026-08-28
Historical. 186-2 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. The module generates cryptographic keys whose strengths are modified by available entropy

Certificate

Certificate number3040
StandardFIPS 140-2
Statushistorical
Overall level2
Module typeHardware
EmbodimentMulti-Chip Embedded
VendornCipher Security Limited · website
Hardware versionsNC3025E-000
Firmware versions3.3.21, 3.4.1, and 3.4.2

Module description

The nShield XC F2 PCIe card, sold as nShield XC F2 PCIe server-embedded hardware security modules (HSMs) are multi-tasking HSMs optimized for symmetric and asymmetric operations on protected keys. The nShield module is FIPS 140-2 Level 2 embedded devices for applications including but not limited to PKI, SSL/TLS, Secure Manufacturing, Data Protection, Key Management and Provisioning.

Security level exceptions

  • Roles, Services, and Authentication: Level 3
  • Physical Security: Level 3
  • EMI/EMC: Level 3
  • Design Assurance: Level 3
  • Mitigation of Other Attacks: N/A

Approved algorithms

AlgorithmCAVP certificate
AES3664, 3697, 3711
CKGvendor affirmed
CVL669, 682, 696, 1111
DRBG985
DSA1034, 1039
ECDSA771, 776, 790, 805
HMAC2414
KBKDF73, 75
KTS
PBKDFvendor affirmed
RSA1897, 1903, 1917
SHS3082, 3130
Triple-DES2046, 2073

Allowed algorithms

Diffie-Hellman (CVL Certs. #669 and #682, key agreement; key establishment methodology provides between 112 and 256 bits of encryption strength); EC Diffie-Hellman (CVL Certs. #669, #682 and #696, key agreement; key establishment methodology provides between 112 and 256 bits of encryption strength); ECMQV (CVL Certs. #669 and #1111, key agreement; key establishment methodology provides between 112 and 256 bits of encryption strength); NDRNG; RSA (key wrapping; key establishment methodology provides between 112 and 256 bits of encryption strength)

Tested configurations

  • N/A

Validation history

DateTypeLab
2017-10-10InitialDXC Technology
2017-11-07UpdateDXC Technology
2018-07-18UpdateDXC Technology
2019-06-03UpdateDXC Technology
2020-03-23UpdateLightship Security, Inc.

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: 2017-10-10, 2017-11-07, 2018-07-18, 2019-06-03, 2020-03-23

Source documents