CC-Certification-Common-Criteria-Certification

More from the ICCC: Update on CNSSP #11 and Common Criteria

In my last post, I brought everyone up to speed on some happenings from the recent ICCC Conference in Orlando, including the revised Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA) and its implications. There was a great deal of other discussion on various topics of interest, including the subject of collaboration…

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U.S. Government Shutdown Impacts FIPS Validations

As you know, the U.S. federal government officially shut down many of its operations. This shutdown directly affects NIST and, as a result, impacts its FIPS validation activities. We are sending you this e-mail to let you know what resources Corsec has available and how this situation will impact your validation efforts.

CC-Certification-Common-Criteria-Certification

Updates from ICCC Include CCRA Revisions

Some of us from Corsec recently attended the 14th International Common Criteria Conference (ICCC) in Orlando, Florida, and we came away feeling that the Common Criteria (CC) community is finally coming together in many positive ways. After several years of difficult transition into defining the new CC paradigm of collaborative Protection Profiles (cPPs) and international Technical Communities (iTCs),…

CC-Certification-Common-Criteria-Certification

Updates from the Joint CCDB/CCUF Workshop

It’s always great to get together with others from our industry to discuss advances and collaborate on moving processes forward for Common Criteria. Last month, several of us had the opportunity to work with colleagues from around the world at two separate events in Orlando, Florida. A group of us spent the first two weeks of September in Orlando, as Corsec sent multiple…

RMF and the DoD's UC APL

Planning Leads to Smooth Sailing in DoDIN APL Listing: Webinar Recap

Getting your product listed on the DoD UC APL can seem like a Herculean task. We’ve talked before about the ins and outs of the entire listing process, but anyone who has considered any type of IT security validation knows that making the process as efficient as possible is as key as paying attention to the details. Last week, Corsec Co-Founder…

Corsec-Common-Criteria

Common Criteria Schemes: Tips for Making the Right Choice

So many decisions, so little time. You’ve heard—and likely experienced—this mantra. And if you read this blog regularly, you’ve probably picked up on the fact that security validations involve making a whole host of decisions. When pursuing Common Criteria certification, one often perplexing, yet critical decision I hear people lament…

FIPS 140, CSfC, Common Criteria, UC APL

CSfC and Your Product Evaluation

We have recently seen an increase in the number of clients who are asking about CSfC and how to get on the CSfC Components List maintained by the National Security Agency (NSA) Information Assurance Directorate (IAD). CSfC is the acronym for the IAD’s Commercial Solutions for Classified program. It’s worth noting…

FIPS 140-2, FIPS 140-2 validation, FIPS Validation, FIPS 140-2 process, FIPS Inside, FIPS Compliant

New FIPS 140-2 IG Update Released: What You Need to Know

In our recent post we talked about the recent changes to Common Criteria, FIPS, and UC APL, and the importance of putting these changes in context for your business. Today we have another change to tell you about. On July 25, CMVP issued an update to the FIPS 140-2 Implementation Guidance(IG). No matter where your module is in the…

FIPS 140, CSfC, Common Criteria, UC APL

Hot Topics for ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27’s WG 3: Q & A with Miguel Bañón

Last week, I shared a conversation I had with Miguel Bañón, Convenor of ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27’s WG 3 (work group 3), that offered an overview of the current work of the WG 3, as well as some great insight into planned changes in the areas of evaluation, testing and specification for the IT security industry. Today, we’ll…

FIPS 140, CSfC, Common Criteria, UC APL

Q&A with Miguel Bañón: A Look at ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27’s WG 3

At Corsec, we have the opportunity to work with many industry insiders, partners, and labs as we help our clients through the security validation process. This provides us with a unique perspective when looking at the changes occurring within the IT security space. One group of particular interest right now is the ISO/IEC JTC 1/SC 27’s WG 3…

FIPS 140, CSfC, Common Criteria, UC APL

But the Rules are Changing!

According to the ancient Greek philosopher Heraclitus, “There is nothing permanent except change.” As anyone following security certifications lately can tell you, there is a lot of truth in this statement. We have entered another …

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FIPS 140-2, FIPS 140-2 validation, FIPS Validation, FIPS 140-2 process, FIPS Inside, FIPS Compliant

The True Cost of FIPS 140-2 Validation

The benefits of getting FIPS 140-2 validation for your product shouldn’t be underestimated. Your FIPS 140-2 validation demonstrates your integrity and commitment to providing your customers with compliant security products and systems. But the validation process can be time consuming, complex and is an investment not to be taken lightly. So, while planning…

FIPS 140-2, FIPS 140-2 validation, FIPS Validation, FIPS 140-2 process, FIPS Inside, FIPS Compliant

The FIPS Standard: Do I Revalidate?

In our recent blog post, we talked about the cost and timing you can expect if you pursue FIPS 140-2 revalidation for your product or system. We also touched on five change scenarios that necessitate revalidation. These scenarios were created by the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP), the same body that published the FIPS standard, which covers…

Corsec-Common-Criteria

Why You Need Common Criteria Certification and How to Get There

In the IT security industry, research and development teams continually race to introduce new products, while at the same time, project teams improve upon existing offerings—all scrambling to ensure that the latest versions meet security functional and assurance requirements. The goal is to bring the strongest and most secure…

Watch A Webinar by Corsec

Webinar Recap: Should You Revalidate or Recertify?

If you have been through the certification or validation process for your security product, I don’t need to tell you that it’s a substantial investment in time, resources and cost. Or that it’s worth that investment when you consider the benefits you’ll realize from your ability to sell into the lucrative government market. We discussed…

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Budgeting for Certifications: Avoid Cost Creep

Budgeting for a Common Criteria Certification can be difficult, but it’s not impossible. Understanding how to create your certification budget, and taking the necessary steps to follow through with that budget, can reduce your costs and simplify the certification process. We are frequently asked, “How much does certification cost…

FIPS 140, CSfC, Common Criteria, UC APL

You Have Your Validation, Now Use It To Sell

Where is the most money lost in a validation? I know this is a question my customers ask themselves while making a decision on how to achieve validation. A) Is it the consultant? B) Is it in the testing laboratory? C) Is it the scope of the process? I’ll let you in on an insider secret—the correct answer is “none of the above.” You won’t lose big in validations, or in any direct expense…

Watch A Webinar by Corsec

Highlights from Corsec’s DoDIN APL Webinar: A Glimpse Into What You Missed

Corsec recently presented a webinar called, DoD UC APL Solutions: Dealing with UCCO, STIGS, JITC, the TIC, Army, and DoD Requirements. Judging from the large number of views and inquiries on this, the Department of Defense’s Unified Capabilities Approved Products List (DoD UC APL) is a very hot topic for many vendors, and…

FIPS 140, CSfC, Common Criteria, UC APL

15 Years Teaches You a Lot: 3 Key Points to Remember

At Corsec, we just celebrated our 15th year of business in the security validation consulting industry. As you might imagine, we spent some time reflecting on the changes we have seen in the industry, the customers we have had the pleasure to work with, and the successes and failures we have seen over the years.

There were a few specific things that kept coming up in these discussions—three factors we could identify that predicted success or failure in security validation projects.

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FIPS 140, CSfC, Common Criteria, UC APL

Starting a Validation—Don’t Make All of Your Decisions up Front

A security validation is a substantial process—getting it started can be daunting. But you don’t need to decide everything up front—in fact, you shouldn’t. There are definitely some important considerations to work through, but there are some decisions you should put off until you are well into the process.

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