RE: S/MIME v3.2 IDs key size text

[Paul Hoffman <phoffman@xxxxxxx>]

At 3:17 PM -0700 5/2/08, Luther Martin wrote:
>  > >(The "or shorter" attached to the "1024" is also going to prove
> >  problematic
> >  >with FIPS-evaluated crypto implementations, since you can't do < 1024
> >  bits for
> >  >those).
> >
> >  That's just plain wrong. Nothing in the FIPS evaluation says that you
> >  cannot verify signatures shorter than what they require.
>
> I'm not sure that's accurate. A FIPS security policy is fairly clear 
> about exactly what keys and key sizes you can use in FIPS mode, and 
> I'm fairly sure that this stops you from using smaller keys in FIPS 
> mode, even to verify a signature.

That's quite different than what I said. In FIPS mode, you may need 
to only validate FIPS-mandated signatures (there is even some 
disagreement about this). However, a FIPS-evaluated system can also 
validate non-FIPS-mandated signatures, just not in FIPS mode (maybe).