Federal Information Processing Standard facts for kids
Federal Information Processing Standards (or FIPS) are special rules and guidelines created by the U.S. Federal government. These rules are meant for government agencies that are not part of the military, and also for companies that work with the government. They help make sure that technology and information are handled in a safe and organized way across different government groups.
Many FIPS standards are based on rules already used by other big organizations, like the ANSI or the ISO. The U.S. government often takes these existing standards and changes them slightly to fit its own needs.
What are FIPS Standards For?
FIPS standards help make sure that different government computers and systems can talk to each other. They also help keep important government information safe and private. Imagine if every government office used a different way to store data or send messages – it would be very messy! FIPS standards create a common language and set of rules for everyone to follow. This helps with:
- Security: Protecting sensitive information from being seen by the wrong people.
- Compatibility: Making sure that different computer systems can work together smoothly.
- Efficiency: Helping government agencies work more effectively by using agreed-upon methods.
Examples of FIPS Standards
Some FIPS standards were first created by the U.S. government itself. These include rules for how data is encoded, like country codes (which are short ways to identify different countries).
A very important type of FIPS standard deals with encryption. Encryption is like putting a secret code on information so that only people with the right key can read it. This is super important for keeping private data safe, especially on the internet. Two well-known encryption standards developed by the U.S. government are:
- Data Encryption Standard (often called DES, or FIPS 46): This was one of the first widely used encryption standards.
- Advanced Encryption Standard (often called AES, or FIPS 197): This is a newer and stronger encryption standard used today to protect a lot of digital information, from your phone messages to online banking.
These standards help make sure that when you send information to a government website, or when government agencies share data, it stays secure and private.
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