Nonce

nouncandidate·updated May 18, 2026

A value used in security protocols that is never repeated with the same key. For example, nonces used as challenges in challenge-response authentication protocols generally must not be repeated until authentication keys are changed. Otherwise, there is a possibility of a replay attack. Using a nonce as a challenge is a different requirement than a random challenge, because a nonce is not necessarily unpredictable.

NISTIR 7298: Glossary of Key Information Security Terms, Revision 2

Senses

NISTIR 7298: Glossary of Key Information Security Terms, Revision 2sense 2 pending review

A random or non-repeating value that is included in data exchanged by a protocol, usually for the purpose of guaranteeing the transmittal of live data rather than replayed data, thus detecting and protecting against replay attacks.

Wordset Dictionary

the present occasion

Classifications

Entity Type

Credential0%rule-basedmulti_axis_classifier_low_confidence.v1
?unassignedlast reviewed

Sensitivity

60%llm-generatedllm:claude-haiku-4-5
?unassignedlast reviewed

Information Class

70%llm-generatedllm:claude-haiku-4-5
?unassignedlast reviewed

Variants

synonym
time being
plural
Nonces
possessive
Nonce's
pluralpossessive
Nonces'