| Without confidentiality protection mechanisms, unauthorized individuals may gain access to sensitive information via a remote access session.
Remote access is access to DoD non-public information systems by an authorized user (or an information system) communicating through an external, non-organization-controlled network.
A block cipher mode is an algorithm that features the use of a symmetric key block cipher algorithm to provide an information service, such as confidentiality or authentication.
AES is the FIPS-validated cipher block cryptographic algorithm approved for use in DoD. For an algorithm implementation to be listed on a FIPS 140-2 cryptographic module validation certificate as an approved security function, the algorithm implementation must meet all the requirements of FIPS 140-2 and must successfully complete the cryptographic algorithm validation process. Currently, NIST has approved the following confidentiality modes to be used with approved block ciphers in a series of special publications: ECB, CBC, OFB, CFB, CTR, XTS-AES, FF1, FF3, CCM, GCM, KW, KWP, and TKW. |
