Common Criteria Certification

Common Criteria (CC), formally designated as ISO/IEC 15408, is an international standard used to assess the security functionality and assurance of IT products. It provides a structured method to define security requirements and verify that a product has been rigorously tested against those requirements. Governments and enterprises rely on Common Criteria to:

• Ensure consistent comparison of security claims.

• Enable informed purchasing decisions for security-focused products.

• Define requirements that match specific operational risks and deployment contexts.

• Support independent verification of product claims at defined assurance levels.

The purpose of this certification is twofold:

• It ensures that a product’s security features are accurately described in a document known as a Security Target.

• It facilitates the independent evaluation of those features to a defined level of rigor, referred to as Evaluation Assurance Levels (EALs).

This process enables buyers to align a product’s evaluation depth (for example, EAL2 versus EAL4+) with operational risk and deployment context. The designation EAL4+ is commonly targeted by high-assurance products because it balances depth of analysis with practical deployment timelines.

Common Criteria enjoys broad international recognition through the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA), which streamlines the acceptance of evaluations across member nations. In the United States, the National Information Assurance Partnership (NIAP) manages this process in coordination with the Common Criteria Evaluation and Validation Scheme (CCEVS). These bodies validate certified products and maintain the Product Compliant List, providing an authoritative reference for organizations evaluating secure solutions.

For security-conscious buyers in sectors like government and critical infrastructure, this standardization reduces redundant testing and accelerates the adoption of vetted solutions.

Obtaining Common Criteria Certification involves a structured, evidence-driven workflow that is transparent and repeatable, enabling organizations to plan resources and reduce risk. The process is as follows:

• Scope definition: Identify the product, define the Security Target, and document intended security functionality, relevant threats, and operational assumptions.

• Identification of protection profiles: Determine applicable Protection Profiles to standardize security requirements.

• Evidence preparation: Develop comprehensive design and test documentation to support evaluation.

• Independent evaluation: Undergo functional and penetration testing conducted by an accredited laboratory.

• Remediation and review: Systematically address findings until the product meets the targeted assurance level.

• Certification report: Receive a detailed evaluation report that supports certification at the chosen EAL.

• Certification body review: National Certification Bodies review the laboratory’s work and issue the certificate upon successful completion.

In the U.S., NIAP certification is validated by CCEVS, and certified products appear on the Product Compliant List to simplify procurement. This separation of duties ensures impartiality and consistency across evaluations.

Timelines for Common Criteria Certification can vary based on the scope and assurance level of the evaluation. Smaller evaluations may be completed within a few months, while higher assurance projects or more complex systems can require nine months or more.

Costs are influenced by the scope of the evaluation, the chosen Evaluation Assurance Level (EAL), and the readiness of supporting evidence. Proactive planning and tight configuration control help manage timeframes and budget.

Certification provides independent assurance that a product’s security features function as designed and have been scrutinized against a recognized standard. This assurance strengthens trust among security teams, procurement officials, and auditors who require defensible evidence of security claims. When a product appears on the Product Compliant List, it immediately signals verified integrity to prospective buyers.

Key benefits include:

• Simplifies access to opportunities requiring certified solutions.

• Streamlines cross-border acceptance through the Common Criteria Recognition Arrangement (CCRA), minimizing redundant evaluations.

• Supports improvements in documentation quality, test coverage, and long-term maintainability when integrated into the secure development lifecycle.

• Provides a recognized pathway to acceptance for U.S. federal use through NIAP certification and CCEVS validation.

• Offers clarity for customers and stakeholders by clearly addressing the security problem being solved, the way it is mitigated, and the independently verified assurance level.

That clarity supports risk-based decisions and aligns with enterprise governance expectations. Solutions developed with rigorous security standards and designed to meet compliance requirements, including alignment with Common Criteria up to levels such as EAL4+, help organizations operate confidently in high-assurance environments.