Public Key Cryptographic Implementation Validation: A Review

Abstract

This paper reviews the Validation procedures of Implementation in hardware, software, and firmware of Public Key Cryptographic algorithms. NIST standardized several algorithms for the present era a few years ago. Detailed test procedures for algorithm validation and Crypto module validation of implementations have been developed. In the Post-Quantum cryptography scenario, algorithm selection will take place in the coming few months, for which validation procedures need to be established by NIST. These algorithms are for KEM (Key Encapsulation Module) and Digital signatures. The symmetric encryption algorithms continue to be the same as before, using AES with a key length of 256 bits. This paper reviews the scope of validation for traditional Public key algorithms for illustration in this paper. Next, we look at a typical Post Quantum KEM and Digital signature algorithm and discuss the validation procedures to be followed.