Encryption Excellence Through Systematic Standards
Think for yourself. Question authority. Yes, even the authorities who approve cryptographic standards. But while questioning motives, implement systematically.
Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. Including honest assessment of cryptographic trust. Government-approved algorithms exist because intelligence agencies approve them. Does that inspire confidence? Uncomfortable question. Do we have better alternatives? Not really.
At Hack23, we use NIST-approved algorithms—AES-256, TLS 1.3, Ed25519, SHA-256—not because governments are trustworthy, but because these are the best publicly-analyzed standards available. Our Cryptography Policy implements systematic encryption: AES-256 encryption at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit, AWS KMS key management with annual rotation, SSL Labs A+ rating on public endpoints. Trust through implementation excellence, not algorithm providence.
ILLUMINATION: Question cryptographic authorities—but implement systematically. Perfect security doesn't exist. Operational excellence with best-available standards does.
This demonstrates our cybersecurity consulting expertise through measurable cryptographic implementation rather than theoretical security discussions.
The Five Uncomfortable Questions About Government-Approved Crypto
Before we discuss implementation, let's address the elephant in the room:
1. Who Approves These Algorithms?
Intelligence agencies. NIST (NSA-influenced), FIPS (DoD-aligned), cryptography standardization bodies with nation-state participation. The same organizations running global surveillance programs.
2. What's Their Motivation?
Signals intelligence. Their mission is intercepting communications—breaking encryption is literally their job description. Tension between enabling security and maintaining intelligence capabilities.
3. Can They Break What They Approve?
We don't know. Dual_EC_DRBG had a backdoor for 7 years (2006-2013). Crypto AG sold compromised encryption for 50 years (1970-2018). History suggests skepticism is warranted.
4. Would They Tell Us If They Could?
No. National security doctrine requires keeping capabilities secret. Intelligence value comes from adversaries not knowing what you can break.
5. What Do We Do About It?
Use approved algorithms properly, implement systematically, layer defenses, assume nation-state adversaries exist, don't rely on encryption alone. Operational security through systematic implementation.
CRYPTO ILLUMINATION: The Law of Fives never lies. There are always five uncomfortable questions about government-approved cryptography. Ask them. Then implement systematically anyway.
Hack23 Cryptographic Framework: Three Implementation Layers
Our cryptography policy implements three systematic encryption layers:
1. 🔐 Encryption at Rest
AES-256 with AWS KMS integration. All data storage encrypted: Extreme data (HSM encryption), High data (AES-256 CMK), Standard data (AES-256 service-managed). Centralized key management, annual rotation minimum (quarterly preferred), cross-region key backup, audit logging for all key operations.
Evidence: All Hack23 projects use AWS KMS encryption. S3 buckets with SSE-KMS, RDS with encryption at rest, EBS volumes encrypted, backups encrypted.
2. 🌐 Encryption in Transit
TLS 1.3 preferred, TLS 1.2 minimum. All network transmission encrypted: HTTPS everywhere, API security with TLS + signatures, modern cipher suites with forward secrecy only, SSL Labs A+ rating for public endpoints. Protocol testing automated, weak cipher detection monitored.
Evidence: CloudFront CDN with TLS termination, Application Load Balancer with TLS 1.2+ only, API Gateway with modern ciphers, Lambda HTTPS-only communication.
3. 🔑 Key Management Framework
AWS KMS centralized key management. Hardware security module generation, role-based access control, complete audit trails for key lifecycle, annual key rotation enforced, cross-region key backup, secure key destruction procedures.
Evidence: AWS KMS integration across all projects, CloudTrail logging of key operations, IAM policies for least-privilege key access, automated rotation alerts.
IMPLEMENTATION ILLUMINATION: Three layers = defense in depth. Encryption at rest protects stored data. Encryption in transit protects network data. Key management protects cryptographic foundation.
Approved Cryptographic Algorithms: NIST Standards with Operational Evidence
Hack23 cryptography policy implements NIST-approved algorithms systematically:
| Algorithm Type | Algorithm | Key Size | Hack23 Implementation | Status |
|---|
| Symmetric Encryption | AES | 256-bit | AWS KMS, S3 SSE-KMS, RDS encryption, EBS encryption | ✓ Approved |
| Asymmetric Encryption | Ed25519 | 256-bit | SSH keys (preferred), signing operations, authentication | ✓ Approved |
| Asymmetric Encryption | RSA | 4096-bit | Legacy SSH keys, TLS certificates (backward compatibility) | ⚠️ Legacy Support |
| Hashing | SHA-256 | 256-bit | Integrity verification, SBOM generation, commit signing | ✓ Approved |
| Hashing | SHA-3 | 256-bit | Future-ready implementation, research projects | ✓ Approved |
Prohibited Algorithms (Immediate Replacement Required):
- MD5: Collision attacks trivial → Replace with SHA-256
- SHA-1: Collision attacks demonstrated → Replace with SHA-256
- DES/3DES: Inadequate key size → Replace with AES-256
- RC4: Stream cipher weaknesses → Replace with AES-GCM
ALGORITHM ILLUMINATION: We use government-approved algorithms because public cryptanalysis hasn't broken them yet. Non-approved alternatives lack scrutiny. Choose analyzed standards over obscure alternatives.
Encryption by Data Classification: CIA+ Framework Integration
Encryption requirements driven by Data Classification Policy:
| Classification Level | Encryption Requirement | Key Management | Implementation |
|---|
| Extreme Confidentiality | HSM-based AES-256 | AWS CloudHSM | Hardware Security Module with dedicated HSM cluster |
| Very High Confidentiality | AES-256 + CMK | AWS KMS Customer Managed Keys | Customer-managed encryption keys with granular control |
| High Confidentiality | AES-256 encryption | AWS KMS Service Managed Keys | Service-managed keys with automated rotation |
| Moderate Confidentiality | Standard encryption | S3 SSE, RDS encryption | AWS service default encryption |
| Low Confidentiality | Basic protection | Platform standard | Service-level encryption where available |
Classification drives security investment: €10K+ daily loss = Extreme (HSM), €5-10K = Very High (CMK), €1-5K = High (AES-256), €500-1K = Moderate (standard), <€500 = Low (basic).
CLASSIFICATION ILLUMINATION: Encryption scaled to risk. Not everything needs HSM protection. Not everything is public. Classification-driven encryption = intelligent resource allocation.
Transport Layer Security: TLS 1.3, Modern Ciphers, SSL Labs A+
All Hack23 network communication encrypted with systematic TLS implementation:
- TLS 1.3 preferred for all new implementations (forward secrecy, improved handshake)
- TLS 1.2 minimum for legacy compatibility (older clients support)
- Modern cipher suites only with AEAD (Authenticated Encryption with Associated Data)
- SSL Labs A+ rating for all public endpoints (verified quarterly)
- HTTPS everywhere enforcement (no unencrypted HTTP)
- HSTS headers enabled (HTTP Strict Transport Security)
- Certificate transparency monitoring (CT logs validation)
Implementation architecture:
- CloudFront CDN: TLS termination at edge locations
- AWS WAF: Cipher suite filtering, protocol validation
- Application Load Balancer: TLS 1.2+ enforcement, modern ciphers only
- API Gateway: TLS 1.3 preferred, backward compatibility for TLS 1.2
- Lambda Functions: HTTPS-only communication to all AWS services
- RDS PostgreSQL: Force SSL connections, reject unencrypted clients
- S3 Buckets: HTTPS required policy, deny HTTP requests
TRANSPORT ILLUMINATION: TLS protects data in flight. Configuration matters—weak ciphers negate strong protocol. SSL Labs A+ = externally validated transport security.
Key Management Lifecycle: Generation, Storage, Rotation, Destruction
AWS KMS centralized key management with systematic lifecycle procedures:
| Lifecycle Phase | Requirement | Hack23 Implementation |
|---|
| 🔑 Key Generation | HSM generation required | AWS KMS FIPS 140-2 Level 2 validated HSMs, automated generation |
| 🏦 Secure Storage | Centralized KMS, least privilege access | AWS KMS with IAM policies, role-based access, multi-region replication |
| 🔄 Key Rotation | Annual minimum, quarterly preferred | Automated KMS rotation enabled, CloudWatch alerts for rotation status |
| 📊 Audit Logging | All key operations logged | AWS CloudTrail integration, 90-day retention, SIEM forwarding |
| 🗑️ Secure Deletion | Cryptographic key destruction | KMS scheduled deletion (7-30 day window), audit trail maintained |
Key access controls:
- IAM policies: Least privilege principle, explicit deny for unauthorized access
- Service roles: Application-specific key access, no human direct access
- Multi-factor authentication: Required for manual key operations
- Key grants: Temporary key access with automatic expiration
- Key aliases: Application references to keys, not direct key IDs
KEY MANAGEMENT ILLUMINATION: Encryption strength depends on key protection. Perfect algorithm with compromised keys = worthless protection. KMS centralization = systematic key security.
ISMS Policy Integration: Cryptography Across Security Framework
Cryptography Policy integrated with Hack23 ISMS framework:
| ISMS Policy | Cryptographic Integration | Implementation Evidence |
|---|
| Data Classification Policy | Encryption requirements per classification level | CIA+ framework with HSM/CMK/Service encryption tiers |
| Access Control Policy | Key access management, IAM integration | Least privilege key access, MFA for sensitive operations |
| Network Security Policy | TLS enforcement, transport encryption | TLS 1.3 preferred, SSL Labs A+ rating, HSTS enabled |
| Backup Recovery Policy | Backup encryption requirements | Encrypted backups, cross-region key replication |
| Incident Response Plan | Cryptographic incident handling | Key compromise procedures, emergency rotation protocols |
INTEGRATION ILLUMINATION: Cryptography isn't standalone policy—it's systematic integration across security framework. One encryption standard, multiple policy applications.
Conclusion: Question Authorities, Implement Systematically
Uncomfortable truth: Government-approved cryptographic standards exist because intelligence agencies participate in standardization. Should we trust them? Healthy skepticism warranted. Do we have better alternatives? Not really—public cryptanalysis matters.
Hack23's approach: Use NIST-approved algorithms because they're publicly analyzed, implement systematically through operational standards, assume nation-state adversaries exist, don't rely on encryption alone for security.
Our Cryptography Policy implements measurable encryption: AES-256 at rest, TLS 1.3 in transit, AWS KMS key management, annual rotation, SSL Labs A+ rating, classification-driven encryption requirements. Trust through implementation excellence, not algorithm providence.
Security through transparency beats security through hope. All cryptography policies publicly documented. All implementation standards measurable. All key management procedures auditable.
FINAL ILLUMINATION: Perfect security doesn't exist. Nation-states can compromise anything given enough resources. Operational excellence with best-available cryptographic standards = realistic security posture.