Encryption Policy

OVERVIEW

PURPOSE

The purpose of this policy is to provide guidance that limits the use of encryption to those algorithms that have received substantial public review and have been proven to work effectively.

SCOPE

This policy applies to all 10ARK DIGITAL employees and affiliates.

POLICY

Algorithm Requirements

1. Ciphers in use must meet or exceed the set defined as "AES-compatible" or "partially AES-compatible" according to the IETF/IRTF Cipher Catalog, or the set defined for use in the United States National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) publication FIPS 140-2, or any superseding documents according to the date of implementation. The use of the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) is strongly recommended for symmetric encryption.

2. Algorithms in use must meet the standards defined for use in NIST publication FIPS 140-2 or any superseding document, according to date of implementation. The use of the RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography (ECC) algorithms is strongly recommended for asymmetric encryption.

3. Signature Algorithms

Algorithm	Key Length (min)	Comment
ECDSA	P-256	Consider RFC6090 to avoid patent infringement
RSA	2048	Must use a secure padding scheme PKCS#7 padding scheme is recommended Message hashing required
LDWM	SHA256	Refer to LDWM Hash-based Signatures Draft

Hash Function Requirements

In general, 10ARK DIGITAL adheres to the NIST Policy on Hash Functions.

Key Agreement and Authentication

1. Key exchanges must use one of the following cryptographic protocols: Diffie-Hellman, IKE, or Elliptic curve Diffie-Hellman (ECDH)

2. End points must be authenticated prior to the exchange or derivation of session keys

3. Public keys used to establish trust must be authenticated prior to use. Examples of authentication include transmission via cryptographically signed message or manual verification of the public key hash

4. All servers used for authentication (for example, RADIUS or TACACS) must have installed a valid certificate signed by a known trusted provider

5. All servers and applications using SSL or TLS must have the certificates signed by a known, trusted provider

Key Generation

1. Cryptographic keys must be generated and stored in a secure manner that prevents loss, theft, or compromise

2. Key generation must be seeded from an industry standard random number generator (RNG). For examples, see NIST Annex C: Approved Random Number Generators for FIPS PUB 140-2.

POLICY COMPLIANCE

Compliance Measurement

The Infosec team will verify compliance to this policy through various methods, including but not limited to business tool reports, internal and external audits, and feedback to the policy owner.

Exceptions

Any exception to the policy must be approved by the Infosec team in advance.

Non-Compliance

An employee found to have violated this policy may be subject to disciplinary action, up to and including termination of employment.