Bouncy Castle Specification & Interoperability
The following provides an overview of Bouncy Castle's capabilities and support, with relevant links to external standards and documentation.
Packages and Standards
Bouncy Castle Java supports the following formats and standards.
Supported Standard
External Reference
C509: CBOR Encoded X.509 Certificates
RFC 5280
CMP
RFC 4210
CRMF
RFC 4211
DANE: DNS-Based Authentication of Named Entities
RFC 7671
DVCS: Internet X.509 Public Key Infrastructure Data Validation and Certification Server Protocols
RFC 4211
DTLS: Datagram Transport Layer Security
RFC 6347
EAC: Extended Access Control (EAC) Certificates
BSI TR-03110
ERS: Evidence Record Syntax
RFC 4998
EST: Enrollment over Secure Transport
RFC 7030
HPKE: Hybrid Public Key Encryption
ETSI ITS
ITS: Intelligent Transportation Systems
ETSI ITS
Merkle Tree Certificates
ETSI ITS
MLS: Messaging Layer Security
ETSI ITS
PKCS#10: Certification Request Syntax
RFC 2986
TLS: Transport Layer Security
RFC 5246 etc.
Algorithm Identifiers for EdDSA and XDH
RFC 8410
Algorithm Identifiers for HSS/LMS and XMSS
RFC 9802
Algorithm Identifiers for ML-DSA
RFC 9881
Algorithm Identifiers for ML-KEM
RFC 9935
Algorithm Identifiers for SLH-DSA
RFC 9909
Certifications
The following lists certifications with relevant links to certificates and documentation.
Type
Language
Version
External Reference
Documentation
FIPS 140-3
Java
Java
2.1.1
2.1.1
Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) Certificate #4943
BC-FJA 2.1.1 (Bouncy Castle FIPS Java API) User Guide
FIPS 140-3
Java
Java
2.0.0
2.0.0
Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) Certificate #4743
BC-FJA 2.0.0 (Bouncy Castle FIPS Java API) User Guide
FIPS 140-2
Java
Java
1.0.2.4
1.0.2.4
Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) Certificate #4616
BC-FJA 1.0.2 (Bouncy Castle FIPS Java API) User Guide
FIPS 140-2
Java
Java
1.0.2.3, 1.0.2.2, 1.0.2.1
1.0.2.3
1.0.2.2
1.0.2.1
Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) Certificate #3514
BC-FJA 1.0.2 (Bouncy Castle FIPS Java API) User Guide
FIPS 140-2
Java
Java
1.0.1
1.0.1
Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) Certificate #3152
BC-FJA (Bouncy Castle FIPS Java API) User Guide
FIPS 140-2
Java
Java
1.0.0
1.0.0
Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) Certificate #2768
BC-FJA (Bouncy Castle FIPS Java API) User Guide
FIPS 140-2
C#
C#
1.0.2
1.0.2
Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) Certificate #4416
BC-FNA 1.0.2 (Bouncy Castle FIPS .NET API) User Guide
FIPS 140-2
C#
C#
1.0.1
1.0.1
Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP) Certificate #2792
BC-FNA (Bouncy Castle FIPS .NET API) User Guide
For more information about the Bouncy Castle FIPS Java API and how it presents cryptography, refer to The Bouncy Castle FIPS Java API in 100 Examples and sample code at https://downloads.bouncycastle.org/fips-java/code/bc-fips-100-java.tar.gz and https://downloads.bouncycastle.org/fips-java/code/bc-fips-100-java.zip.
Algorithms & Key Types
Bouncy Castle supports the following public key algorithm types and key size/curves.
Algorithm
External Reference
BLS12-381 signatures
SP 800-56A
Diffie-Hellman
SP 800-56A
DSA
FIPS PUB 186-4, RFC 6979
FIPS PUB 186-4, RFC 6979
DSTU
DSTU 4145-2002
DSTU 4145-2002
ECDSA/ECDH
X9.62, FIPS PUB 186-4, RFC 5639, RFC 6979, SP 800-56A
X9.62, FIPS PUB 186-4, RFC 5639,
RFC 6979, SP 800-56A
EdDSA/XDH
DSTU 4145-2002
ElGamal
RFC 4880
RFC 4880
GOST
RFC 4490, RFC 7836
RFC 4490, RFC 7836
LMS/HSS
RFC 8554, RFC 8708
RFC 8554, RFC 8708
RSA
RFC 8017, FIPS PUB 186-4, SP 800-56B
RFC 8017, FIPS PUB 186-4, SP 800-56B
SM2
RFC 8998
RFC 8998
SM9
RFC 8998
GM/T 0044-2016, GB/T 38635-2020
Symmetric Key Algorithms
Bouncy Castle supports the following symmetric key algorithms.
Algorithm
External Reference
AES
FIPS PUB 197, RFC 3394, RFC 5649
FIPS PUB 197, RFC 3394, RFC 5649
ARIA
RFC 5794, RFC 5649
RFC 5794, RFC 5649
Ascon
CAESAR, NIST Lightweight Competition Finalist
CAESAR, NIST Lightweight Competition Finalist
Camellia
RFC 3713, RFC 3657
RFC 3713, RFC 3657
CAST 5
RFC 2144
RFC 2144
CAST 6
RFC 2612
RFC 2612
CHACHA-7359
RFC 7359
RFC 7359
DSTU 7624
DSTU 7624:2014
DSTU 7624:2014
GOST 28147
RFC 5830
RFC 5830
GOST 3412-2015
RFC 7801
RFC 7801
GRAIN
eSTREAM Project
eSTREAM Project
HC
eSTREAM Project
eSTREAM Project
LEA
ISO/IEC 29192-2:2019
ISO/IEC 29192-2:2019
RC2
RFC 2268, RFC 3217
RFC 2268, RFC 3217
RC5
RFC 2040
RFC 2040
Salsa20
eSTREAM Project
eSTREAM Project
SEED
RFC 4269
RFC 4269
SM4
RFC 8998
RFC 8998
TripleDES
FIPS PUB 46-3, RFC 3217
FIPS PUB 46-3, RFC 3217
Message Digests and Expandable Output Functions
Bouncy Castle supports the following Message Digests and Expandable Output Functions (XOFs).
Algorithm
External Reference
Ascon (Hash, XOF)
NIST Lightweight Competition Finalist
NIST Lightweight Competition Finalist
Blake2
RFC 7693
RFC 7693
Blake3
cSHAKE-128, cSHAKE-256
SP 800-185
SP 800-185
Kangaroo
KMAC-128, KMAC-256
SP 800-185
SP 800-185
MD5
RFC 1321
RFC 1321
ParallelHash-128, ParallelHash-256
SP 800-185
SP 800-185
RIPEMD-128, RIPEMD-160, RIPEMD-256, RIPEMD-320
SHA-1
FIPS PUB 180-4
FIPS PUB 180-4
SHA224, SHA256, SHA384, SHA512, SHA512/224, SHA512/256
FIPS PUB 180-4
FIPS PUB 180-4
SHAKE-128, SHAKE-256
FIPS PUB 202, RFC 8702
FIPS PUB 202, RFC 8702
SHA3-224, SHA3-256, SHA3-384, SHA3-512
FIPS PUB 202
FIPS PUB 202
SM3
RFC 8998
RFC 8998
Tiger
Project NESSIE
Project NESSIE
TupleHash-128, TupleHash-256
SP 800-185
SP 800-185
Whirlpool
Project NESSIE, ISO/IEC 10118-3
Project NESSIE, ISO/IEC 10118-3
Post-Quantum Algorithm Support
The following algorithms are standardized and implemented.
Key Encapsulation Algorithm (KEM)
Key Encapsulation Algorithm (KEM)
External Reference
ML-KEM
FIPS PUB 203
Signature Algorithms
Signature Algorithm
External Reference
ML-DSA
FIPS PUB 204
SLH-DSA
FIPS PUB 205
LMS/HSS
SP 800-208, RFC 8554, RFC 8708
XMSS, XMSS^MT
SP 800-208, RFC 8391
Hybrid and Composite Algorithms
Hybrid OR Composite Algorithm
External Reference
Composite ML-DSA signatures
RFC 10073
Composite ML-KEM
draft-ietf-lamps-pq-composite-kem
X-Wing
draft-connolly-cfrg-xwing-kem
Other Post-Quantum Algorithms
For further details on these algorithms, refer to NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography.
The post-quantum algorithms below have been submitted to the NIST and other PQC standardization processes. Apart from FrodoKEM and Classic McEliece, which ISO/IEC 18033-2:2006/Amd 2:2026 standardizes, none is yet standardized: they are available for experimenting and hybrid cryptography, but are unsuitable for long-term use until standardized.
Key Encapsulation Algorithms (KEMs)
Key Encapsulation Algorithms
Status
BIKE
NIST Round 4 candidate, not selected
NIST Round 4 candidate, not selected
Classic McEliece
NIST Round 4 candidate; no longer recommended by BSI
Standardized in ISO/IEC 18033-2:2006/Amd 2:2026; NIST Round 4 candidate; no longer recommended by BSI, and likely to be deprecated
FrodoKEM
NIST Round 3 alternate candidate; recommended by BSI
Standardized in ISO/IEC 18033-2:2006/Amd 2:2026; NIST Round 3 alternate candidate; recommended by BSI
HQC
Selected by NIST for standardization
Selected by NIST for standardization (NIST IR 8545)
NTRU
NIST Round 3 finalist, not selected
NIST Round 3 finalist, not selected
NTRU Prime (Streamlined NTRU Prime, NTRU LPRime)
NIST Round 3 alternate candidate, not selected
NIST Round 3 alternate candidate, not selected
SABER
NIST Round 3 finalist, not selected
NIST Round 3 finalist, not selected
NTRU+, SMAUG-T
KpqC (Korean Post-Quantum Cryptography) competition
KpqC (Korean Post-Quantum Cryptography) competition
Signature Algorithms
Signature Algorithm
Status
Falcon
Selected by NIST for standardization as FN-DSA (FIPS 206, in development)
Selected by NIST for standardization as FN-DSA (FIPS 206, in development)
MAYO, SNOVA, QR-UOV, UOV, FAEST, MQOM, SDitH, SQIsign
NIST additional digital signature candidates
NIST additional digital signature candidates
AIMer, HAETAE
KpqC (Korean Post-Quantum Cryptography) competition
KpqC (Korean Post-Quantum Cryptography) competition
CRL, OCSP and Certificate Distribution
Bouncy Castle supports the following CRL formats and standards.
Supported Standard
External Reference
CRL creation and URL based CRL Distribution Points.
RFC 5280
Certificate Enrollment Protocols
The following lists Certificate Enrollment Protocols and/or interfaces.
Protocol/Interface
External Reference
Documentation
