nCipher 4000 PCI, nShield 800 PCI, and nShield Plus PCI
nCipher 4000 PCI, nShield 800 PCI, and nShield Plus PCI, from nCipher Corporation Ltd., holds FIPS 140-2 certificate #537 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.
Certificate
| Certificate number | 537 |
|---|---|
| Standard | FIPS 140-2 |
| Status | historical |
| Overall level | 2 |
| Module type | Hardware |
| Embodiment | Multi-chip embedded |
| Vendor | nCipher Corporation Ltd. · website |
| Hardware versions | nC4033P-4K0, nC4033P-800, and nC4033P-50 Build Standard C |
| Firmware versions | 2.18.15-2 |
Module description
Quoted from the NIST CMVP entry for this certificate.
The nCipher modules: nCipher 4000 PCI, nShield 800 PCI, and nShield Plus PCI family of secure e-commerce HSM's are multi-tasking hardware module 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 +EFP
- Cryptographic Key Management: Level 3
- EMI/EMC: Level 3
- Design Assurance: Level 3
Approved algorithms (8)
| Algorithm | CAVP certificates |
|---|---|
| AES | 15 |
| DSA | 113 |
| HMAC | 3 |
| RNG | 20 |
| RSA | 16 |
| SHS | 255 |
| Triple-DES | 109 |
| Triple-DES MAC | vendor affirmed |
Other algorithms
DES (Certs. #173 and 201); DES MAC (Certs. #173 and 201, vendor affirmed); ARC FOUR; CAST5; CAST 6; MD2; MD5; RIPEMD 160; SEED; HMAC (MD2, MD5, and RIPEMD160); El-Gamal; Diffie-Hellman (key agreement); Blowfish; Twofish; Serpent; KCDSA; HSA 160
Validation history
| Date | Type | Lab |
|---|---|---|
| 2005-05-10 | Initial | DOMUS |
| 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: 2005-05-10, 2006-03-09, 2006-03-15