FIPS Standard

verification of personal characteristics (e.g., biometrics). Authentication data within a cryptographic
module shall be protected against unauthorized disclosure, modification, and substitution.
The initialization of authentication mechanisms may warrant special treatment. If a cryptographic module
does not contain the authentication data required to authenticate the operator for the first time the module is
accessed, then other authorized methods (e.g., procedural controls or use of factory-set or default
authentication data) shall be used to control access to the module and initialize the authentication
mechanisms.
The strength of the authentication mechanism shall conform to the following specifications:
• For each attempt to use the authentication mechanism, the probability shall be less than one in
1,000,000 that a random attempt will succeed or a false acceptance will occur (e.g., guessing a
password or PIN, false acceptance error rate of a biometric device, or some combination of
authentication methods).
• For multiple attempts to use the authentication mechanism during a one-minute period, the
probability shall be less than one in 100,000 that a random attempt will succeed or a false
acceptance will occur.
• Feedback of authentication data to an operator shall be obscured during authentication (e.g., no
visible display of characters when entering a password).
• Feedback provided to an operator during an attempted authentication shall not weaken the strength
of the authentication mechanism.
Documentation shall specify:
the authentication mechanisms supported by a cryptographic module, •
•
•
•
the types of authentication data required by the module to implement the supported authentication
mechanisms,
the authorized methods used to control access to the module for the first time and initialize the
authentication mechanisms, and
the strength of the authentication mechanisms supported by the module.
SECURITY LEVEL 1
For Security Level 1, a cryptographic module is not required to employ authentication mechanisms to
control access to the module. If authentication mechanisms are not supported by a cryptographic module,
the module shall require that one or more roles either be implicitly or explicitly selected by the operator.
SECURITY LEVEL 2
For Security Level 2, a cryptographic module shall employ role-based authentication to control access to
the module.
SECURITY LEVELS 3 AND 4
For Security Levels 3 and 4, a cryptographic module shall employ identity-based authentication
mechanisms to control access to the module.
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