808bits

Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series Switches

FIPS 140-2 certificate #3591 · Cisco Systems, Inc. · data as of 2026-10-21

Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series Switches, from Cisco Systems, Inc., holds FIPS 140-2 certificate #3591 at overall level 1. 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.

Historical. SP 800-56Arev3 transition - replaced by certificate #4525. Federal agencies may reference historical validations for existing systems only, not for new procurement.
Caveat: When operated in FIPS mode, installed, initialized and configured as specified in Section 3 of the Security Policy. This module contains the embedded module 'ACT2Lite Cryptographic Module' validated to FIPS 140-2 under Cert. #3637 operating in FIPS mode

Certificate

Certificate number3591
StandardFIPS 140-2
Statushistorical
Overall level1
Module typeHardware
EmbodimentMulti-Chip Stand Alone
VendorCisco Systems, Inc. · website
Hardware versionsCisco Catalyst C9500-32C, Cisco Catalyst C9500-32QC, Cisco Catalyst C9500-48YC, Cisco Catalyst C9500-24YC, Cisco Catalyst C9500-24Q, Cisco Catalyst C9500-12Q, Cisco Catalyst C9500-40X and Cisco Catalyst C9500-16X with components C9500-NM-8X and C9500-NM-2Q
Firmware versionsCisco IOS-XE 16.9.2, Cisco IOS-XE 16.12 and Cisco IOS-XE 17.3

Module description

Quoted from the NIST CMVP entry for this certificate.

The Cisco Catalyst 9500 Series Switches are stackable enterprise switching platform built for security, IoT, mobility, and cloud. The switches meet FIPS 140-2 overall Level 1 requirements as multi-chip standalone modules. The modules include cryptographic algorithms implemented in IOS-XE software as well as hardware ASIC. Advanced security feature supports MACsec encryption, hardware anchored secure boot and Secure Unique Device Identification (SUDI) support.

Security level exceptions

  • Roles, Services, and Authentication: Level 3
  • Design Assurance: Level 2
  • Mitigation of Other Attacks: N/A

Approved algorithms (12)

AlgorithmCAVP certificates
AESC431, C462, 4769
CKGvendor affirmed
CVLC431, C462
DRBGC431, C462
DSAC431
ECDSAC431, C462
HMACC431, C462
KBKDFC431, C462
KTS
RSAC220, C431, C462
SHSC220, C431, C462
Triple-DESC431, C462

Allowed algorithms

Diffie-Hellman (CVL Cert. #C462, key agreement; key establishment methodology provides between 112 and 150 bits of encryption strength); NDRNG; RSA (key wrapping; key establishment methodology provides between 112 and 128 bits of encryption strength)

Tested configurations

  • N/A

Validation history

DateTypeLab
2020-01-06InitialAcumen Security
2020-06-08UpdateAcumen Security
2021-03-30UpdateAcumen Security
2022-02-18UpdateAcumen Security

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: 2020-01-06, 2020-06-08, 2021-03-30, 2022-02-18

Source documents