FIPS 180-2 defines which standard?

• A. Secure Hash Standard
• B. Digital Signature Standard
• C. Automated Password Generator
• D. Guidelines for LAN Security

Answer: (A)

Hash functions produce a fixed-length digest from input data to verify integrity. The document that specifies these hash algorithms within federal standards is the Secure Hash Standard. FIPS 180-2 defines this standard and the SHA family of algorithms (the primary one used for integrity checks). Digital Signature Standard, defined in FIPS 186, covers how digital signatures are created and verified, not the hash functions themselves. The other items aren’t standards for hash or signing functions in this context. So the standard defined by FIPS 180-2 is the Secure Hash Standard.