National Cryptologic Center Explained

Agency Name:	National Cryptologic Center
Nativename:	Centro Criptológico Nacional
Formed:	March 12, 2004
Jurisdiction:	Government of Spain
Headquarters:	Madrid, Spain
Region Code:	ES
Chief1 Name:	Esperanza Casteleiro
Chief1 Position:	Director
Chief2 Name:	Luis Jiménez Muñoz^[1]
Chief2 Position:	Deputy Director
Parent Agency:	National Intelligence Center
Website:	www.ccn.cni.es

The National Cryptologic Center (CCN) is a Spanish intelligence agency within the National Intelligence Center responsible for cryptanalyzing and deciphering by manual procedures, electronic media and cryptophony, as well as to carry out technological-cryptographic investigations and to train the personnel specialized in cryptology.^[2] The CCN is legally regulated by Royal Decree 421/2004, of March 12.^[3]

From CCN depends:

• CCN-CERT. An expert group that handles computer security incidents.
• Certification body. A body responsible for certify if the Information and communications technology systems are secure.

Functions

The functions of the CCN are:^[2]

• Develop and disseminate standards, instructions, guides and recommendations to ensure the security of information and communication technology systems of the State Administration.
• Train the personnel of the administration specialized in the field of the security of the systems of the information and communications through the CCN-CERT.
• To constitute the Certification Body of the National Scheme of Evaluation and Certification of the Security of Information Technologies.
• Assess and accredit the ability of cipher products and IT systems to process, store or transmit information securely.
• Coordinate the acquisition and development of security technology.
• Protect classified information.
• Establish relationships with similar bodies in other countries.

Director

The director of CCN is the same as the director of the CNI, Félix Sanz Roldán. However, the competency of the center's management relapse in a deputy director supported by an assistant deputy director. The functions of the deputy director of the CCN are:

• Ensure compliance with the functions entrusted to the CCN.
• Certifies the security of information technologies and cryptology.
• Ensure the protection of classified information relating to information and telecommunications systems.

Agreements

The CCN has signed two important agreements with Microsoft in order to join the Government Security Program (GSP):

• The first of them in 2004, when an agreement was signed to access the Windows source code, with Microsoft's central servers in the United States.
• The second one in 2006, quite similar, aimed at obtaining access to the source Microsoft Office.

See also

• Centro Nacional de Inteligencia
• Spanish Intelligence Community

Notes and References

1. http://www.elperiodico.com/es/sociedad/20170615/el-subdirector-del-centro-criptologico-nacional-del-cni-apuesta-por-invertir-en-ciberseguridad-tanto-como-en-vallas-6107242 El subdirector del Centro Criptológico Nacional del CNI apuesta por "invertir en ciberseguridad tanto como en vallas"
2. https://www.ccn.cni.es/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=1&Itemid=3&lang=es National Cryptologic Center
3. https://www.boe.es/buscar/doc.php?id=BOE-A-2004-5051 Real Decreto 421/2004, de 12 de marzo, por el que se regula el Centro Criptológico Nacional.