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What Is NVLAP and How Do I Seek Accreditation?

We’ve often focused on security and maintenance from the perspective of technology itself–specifically, how it is deployed and used by individuals in the real world. But, the truth is that assessments of security technologies don’t start when an enterprise deploys them. Rather, in cases of tech like cryptography modules and biometrics, it begins in the lab that creates them. And that’s where the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program comes in. 

This article discusses NVLAP and its vital function in enhancing the credibility of laboratories involved in testing and calibration. This includes using third-party assessment and rigorous standards to govern how labs protect and assure the products they produce.

 

Who is the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program?

The U.S. government established the National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) in 1976 to respond to a growing need for consistent and reliable testing and calibration services. Here’s a brief history highlighting its development and role:

NVLAP was established under the National Bureau of Standards (now the National Institute for Standards and Technology) to ensure the quality and reliability of testing and calibration services across various technologies and industries.

As the years passed, NVLAP expanded its scope to include more areas of accreditation. As technology advanced and new industries emerged, NVLAP continuously updated and broadened its accreditation criteria to address these evolving needs. 

NVLAP’s role became increasingly important in information technology and cybersecurity. It started accrediting laboratories for cybersecurity testing, including cryptographic module testing under the Cryptographic Module Validation Program (CMVP).

NVLAP has also played a significant role in aligning U.S. and international standards. This helped U.S. laboratories and businesses to compete effectively in the global market.

 

NVLAP in the Context of Cybersecurity

NVLAP plays a significant role in ensuring that testing laboratories meet high-quality assurance and technical expertise standards. In many cases, these standards are a bare minimum that these products must meet to be used in enterprise or government applications–and these standards must be rigorously maintained.

Here are some critical aspects of how NVLAP relates to cybersecurity:

 

What Is NVLAP Accreditation?

Accreditation under NVLAP is an important step in assuring the world, specifically purchasers and users of specific technologies, that lab standards are of the highest caliber. In many cases, NVLAP accreditation is one of the only ways certain technologies, like cryptographic modules, can be used in certain applications. 

Accreditation under the NVLAP is also a mark of recognition that a laboratory has met specific technical competence and quality management standards. Here’s what it means for a laboratory to be NVLAP-accredited:

 

How Does My Lab Become NVLAP-Accredited?

Becoming accredited under NVLAP is a multi-step process that thoroughly assesses the laboratory’s technical capabilities and quality management systems. Much like a compliance assessment, VLAP accreditation includes experts documenting and monitoring lab activity and practices to ensure they are implemented well and consistently. 

Here’s an overview of the steps an organization typically follows to achieve NVLAP accreditation:

Throughout the process, laboratories must demonstrate technical proficiency and accuracy in their testing or calibration services and a commitment to maintaining a quality management system that meets NVLAP’s stringent criteria. This process aims to ensure that accredited labs consistently produce reliable and accurate results, thereby instilling confidence in their services among clients and stakeholders.

 

Contact Lazarus Alliance to Help Manage Your Cybersecurity

Seeking compliance with ISO, NIST, or Common Criteria standards? Lazarus Alliance has decades of experience working with industry and regulatory standards worldwide. Contact us today.

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