How did a compromised random generator get into NIST standards?

NIST SP 800-90A is a standard for random number generation that originally included four generators, one of which was Dual_EC_DRBG based on elliptic curve cryptography. This specific generator was later reported to likely contain a kleptographic backdoor inserted by the NSA. Consequently, the standard was revised to remove the vulnerable generator after controversies involving commercial adoption and payments.

What we know

• NIST SP 800-90A is a publication by the National Institute of Standards and Technology specifying cryptographic pseudorandom number generators. [2]
• Earlier versions of NIST SP 800-90A included Dual_EC_DRBG as one of four random number generators, which was based on elliptic curve cryptography. [2]
• Dual_EC_DRBG was later reported to probably contain a kleptographic backdoor inserted by the United States National Security Agency. [2]
• The RSA BSAFE library used the compromised NIST-approved random number generator as its default from 2004 to 2013. [5]

Where to go next

• a case in pointWhat are the other generators in NIST SP 800-90A?
• how it workedHow does elliptic-curve cryptography work?
• the bigger pictureWhat was the NSA Bullrun program?
• what caused itHow did RSA security integrate the vulnerable generator?
• whenWhen was the standard officially updated to remove Dual_EC_DRBG?
• an unexpected connectionHow did a $10 million payment affect encryption defaults?Reuters revealed that RSA received a financial payment to keep the NSA-compromised algorithm as its default option.

Sources

• [1]NIST SP 800-90A (Wikidata Q17083105) · CC0 1.0
• [2]NIST SP 800-90A · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [3]Cryptographically secure pseudorandom number generator · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [4]Elliptic-curve cryptography · CC BY-SA 4.0
• [5]BSAFE · CC BY-SA 4.0

Your path

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8. /How did a compromised random generator get into NIST standards?