Customization Modes for the Harris MK-3 Authenticated Encryption Algorithm.

MK-3 is a new proprietary authenticated encryption algorithm based on the duplex sponge construction. To provide security autonomy capability, such that different users can have sovereign variants of the encryption algorithm, MK-3 is designed to be customizable. Two levels of customization are supported, Factory Customization and Field Customization. Customization is done by modifying functions and function parameters in the algorithm to yield differing cipher functions while preserving the algorithm's security. This paper describes the MK-3 algorithm's customization options and discusses results of testing designed to verify security autonomy among the customized variants.