NIST
Government & Politics abbreviation · US Federal Agency
| Stands for | National Institute of Standards and Technology |
|---|---|
| Categories | Government & Politics |
NIST stands for National Institute of Standards and Technology, a US federal agency abbreviation.
Commerce Department laboratory agency that maintains measurement standards, develops cybersecurity and technical frameworks and keeps official US time. Its publications, such as the NIST Cybersecurity Framework and the SP 800 series, are widely adopted by government and industry.
Example: Our password policy follows NIST guidance, which no longer recommends forced periodic changes.
Usage notes
Founded in 1901 as the National Bureau of Standards, it was renamed in 1988. Atomic clocks in Boulder, Colorado, define US civilian time, broadcast by radio station WWV. In 2024 it published the first federal post-quantum cryptography standards. Its Director is also the Under Secretary of Commerce for Standards and Technology.
Related abbreviations
More US federal agency abbreviations
- NGA – National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
- NHC – National Hurricane Center
- NHTSA – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration
- NIAID – National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases
- NIH – National Institutes of Health
- NIOSH – National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health
- NLRB – National Labor Relations Board
- NNSA – National Nuclear Security Administration
- NOAA – National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
- NPS – National Park Service
- NRC – U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission
- NRCS – Natural Resources Conservation Service