secret key

nouncandidate·updated May 9, 2026

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A cryptographic key that is used with a secret-key (symmetric) cryptographic algorithm that is uniquely associated with one or more entities and is not made public. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure.

Framework senses

10 senses across 7 frameworks

National Initiative for Cybersecurity Careers and Studies (NICCS) Cybersecurity Lexicon1 senseview framework →

§1 · extended_definition_available: A cryptographic key that is used for both encryption and decryption, enabling the operation of a symmetric key cryptography scheme.

NISTIR 7298: Glossary of Key Information Security Terms, Revision 24 sensesview framework →

§1: A cryptographic key that is used with a secret-key (symmetric) cryptographic algorithm that is uniquely associated with one or more entities and is not made public. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure.
§2 · sense_2_pending_review: A cryptographic key that must be protected from unauthorized disclosure to protect data encrypted with the key. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level; rather, the term implies the need to protect the key from disclosure or substitution.
§3 · sense_3_pending_review: A cryptographic key that is uniquely associated with one or more entities. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure or substitution.
§4 · sense_4_pending_review: A cryptographic key, used with a secret key cryptographic algorithm, that is uniquely associated with one or more entities and should not be made public.

CNSSI-4009 (Glossary of Information Assurance Terms)1 senseview framework →

§1: A cryptographic key that is used with a symmetric cryptographic algorithm that is uniquely associated with one or more entities and is not made public. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure.

FIPS PUB 140-21 senseview framework →

§1: A cryptographic key, used with a secret key cryptographic algorithm, that is uniquely associated with one or more entities and should not be made public.

FIPS PUB 2011 senseview framework →

§1: A cryptographic key that must be protected from unauthorized disclosure to protect data encrypted with the key. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level; rather, the term implies the need to protect the key from disclosure or substitution.

NIST SP 800-57 Part 11 senseview framework →

§1: A cryptographic key that is used with a secret-key (symmetric) cryptographic algorithm that is uniquely associated with one or more entities and is not made public. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure.

FIPS PUB 1981 senseview framework →

§1: A cryptographic key that is uniquely associated with one or more entities. The use of the term “secret” in this context does not imply a classification level, but rather implies the need to protect the key from disclosure or substitution.