NIAP Approved Common Criteria Testing Laboratories (CCTL)

NIAP approved Common Criteria Testing Laboratories (CCTLs) are IT security testing laboratories that are accredited by the NIST National Voluntary Laboratory Accreditation Program (NVLAP) and meet CCEVS-specific requirements to conduct IT security evaluations for conformance to the Common Criteria for Information Technology Security Evaluation, International Standard ISO/IEC 15408.

These laboratories must meet the requirements of:

• NIST Handbook 150, NVLAP Procedures and General Requirements;
• NIST Handbook 150-20, NVLAP Information Technology Security Testing - Common Criteria;
• Specific criteria for IT security evaluations and other requirements of the scheme as defined by the NIAP Validation Body.

CCTLs enter into contractual agreements with sponsors to conduct security evaluations of IT products and protection profiles using NIAP-approved test methods derived from the Common Criteria, Common Methodology and other technology-based sources. The IT security evaluations are carried out in accordance with the policies and procedures of the scheme. CCTLs must observe the highest standards of impartiality, integrity, and commercial confidentiality, and operate within the guidelines established by the scheme.

To become a CCTL, a testing laboratory must go through a series of steps that involve both the NIAP Validation Body and NVLAP. Accreditation by NVLAP is the primary requirement for achieving CCTL status. Scheme requirements that cannot be satisfied by NVLAP accreditation are addressed by the NIAP Validation Body. At present, there are only three scheme-specific requirements imposed by the Validation Body. NIAP approved CCTLs:

• must reside within the U.S. and be a legal entity, duly organized and incorporated, validly existing, and in good standing under the laws of the state where the laboratory intends to do business;
• must agree to accept U.S. Government technical oversight and validation of evaluation-related activities in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the NIAP Common Criteria Scheme;
• must agree to accept U.S. Government participants in selected Common Criteria evaluations conducted by the laboratory in accordance with the policies and procedures established by the NIAP Common Criteria Scheme.

A testing laboratory becomes a CCTL when the laboratory is approved by the Validation Body and is listed on the NIAP Approved Laboratories List.

To avoid unnecessary expense and delay in becoming a NIAP-approved testing laboratory, it is strongly recommended that prospective CCTLs ensure that they are able to satisfy the scheme-specific requirements prior to seeking accreditation from NVLAP. This can be accomplished by sending a letter of interest to the NIAP Validation Body prior to entering the NVLAP process.

Additional laboratory-related information can be found in Scheme Publication #1 Common Criteria Evaluation and Validation Scheme for Information Technology Security -- Organization, Management, and Concept of Operations and Scheme Publication #4 Common Criteria Evaluation and Validation Scheme for Information Technology Security -- Guidance to Common Criteria Testing Laboratories.

• Letter of Intent
• NIST Handbooks and other NVLAP information
• NVLAP IT Security Testing Lab Announcement