In some aspects, an apparatus for encoding data for delivery to or for decoding data retrieved from a storage medium comprises a memory device and at least one hardware processor. The memory device is configured to store at least one parameter associated with at least one cryptographic protocol, the at least one parameter comprising one or more of a first cryptographic scheme, a first cryptographic key operation, a first cryptographic key length, and first cipher directives. The hardware processor is configured to generate a first frame comprising a first field for one parameter selected from the first cryptographic scheme, the first cryptographic key operation, the first cryptographic key length, and the first cipher directives and excluding fields for non-selected parameters, wherein the first frame is associated with the data delivered to or retrieved from the storage medium.