EAL Certification

A EAL Certification is a security evaluation standard from the Common Criteria framework. It rates the rigor of testing for IT products, especially hardware secure elements. EAL stands for Evaluation Assurance Level. Levels range from EAL1 (basic) to EAL7 (formally verified design).

Independent accredited labs perform the evaluation. They review designs, test functionality, and attempt penetration attacks. Developers provide evidence of security measures. Higher levels demand more thorough analysis, like vulnerability assessments and resistance to sophisticated exploits. Augmentations, marked as EAL5+ or EAL6+, add specific protections beyond base requirements.

EAL Certification matters in cryptocurrency because hardware wallets use certified chips to store private keys. These chips resist physical tampering, side-channel attacks, and fault injection. High levels like EAL5+ or EAL6+ build user trust by proving resilience against real-world threats.

Key levels in crypto hardware include:

• EAL5+: Semi-formally designed and tested systems with high attack resistance. Common in secure elements like those from STMicroelectronics.
• EAL6+: Semi-formally verified designs for extreme threats.

Synonyms include Common Criteria certification. Users should match EAL level to their security needs, as higher certification increases costs but not always necessity.