2026-06-08 · nist
NIST issued a second pre-draft call for comments on the revision of SP 800-38D, the recommendation covering Galois/Counter Mode and GMAC. The comment window is open through July 31, 2026. The update matters for long-term data preservation because authenticated encryption standards sit underneath backup archives, custody systems, encrypted storage, and recovery evidence. Cold storage should be built around standards that remain reviewable and durable over time.
NIST is revising SP 800-38D and is considering a wider GCM variant, wGCM, for block ciphers with 256-bit blocks. The agency is asking for feedback on security and efficiency trade-offs before publishing the next draft.
Poor encryption design can destroy recoverability in quieter ways than ransomware: corrupted authentication tags, weak parameters, or nonstandard archive formats can make preserved data impossible to trust. Long-retention backups depend on cryptographic choices that remain understandable and verifiable years later.
Offline cold storage should pair encrypted copies with documented algorithms, key custody records, integrity checks, and periodic restore testing. Using standards-backed authenticated encryption helps ensure that archived data can still be proven intact when it is finally needed.
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