[Federal Register Volume 60, Number 168 (Wednesday, August 30, 1995)]
[Notices]
[Pages 45143-45144]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 95-21487]
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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Announcing a Meeting of Developing Federal Information Processing
Standards for Key Escrow Encryption
AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology.
ACTION: Notice of open meeting.
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SUMMARY: NIST announces an exploratory workshop to develop federal
standards for key escrow encryption, specifically to include software
implementations.
DATES: The meeting will be held September 15, 1995, from 9:00 a.m. to
5:00 p.m..
ADDRESSES: The meeting will be held at Gaithersburg Hilton Hotel, 620
Perry Parkway, Gaithersburg, Maryland.
To register to attend the meeting, interested parties may contact
Key Escrow Standards Workshop, Arlene Carlton, Technology Building,
Room B-154, NIST, Gaithersburg, MD, 20899; 301-975-3240, fax: 301-948-
1784, or e-mail at carlton@micf.nist.gov''.
Individuals interested in speaking are asked to contact Ed Roback
at NIST on 301-975-3696, fax: 301-948-1784, or e-mail at
roback@enh.nist.gov''.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT:
Arlene Carlton, Technology Building, Room B-154, NIST, Gaithersburg,
MD, 20899; 301-975-3240, fax: 301-948-
[[Page 45144]]
1784, or e-mail at carlton@micf.nist.gov''.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On September 15, 1995, the Commerce
Department's National Institute of Standards and Technology will hold
an exploratory workshop on developing Federal Information Processing
Standards (FIPS) for key escrow encryption, specifically to include
software implementations. This effort is being initiated to further the
Administration's commitment to federal use of key escrow encryption.
Industry representatives and other interested parties are invited
to the workshop to provide their perspectives on the desirable
characteristics of key escrow encryption standards to NIST and other
federal officials. Government representatives also will present their
objectives and preliminary approach to this standards development
process. Discussion will also include proposals for follow-on
activities.
For discussion purposes, one initial option for this standards
activity may be to create a generic key escrow encryption standard
containing criteria for federal use of key escrow techniques
implemented in either software or hardware. This high-level standard
could then be supplemented with lists of validated key escrow
techniques. (Currently FIPS 185, ``Escrowed Encryption Standard,'' a
hardware-based standard, is the only FIPS-approved key escrow
technique.) Guidance would also be needed to guide selection of
appropriate key escrow techniques for particular applications. Key
escrowing will be used by federal agencies (and others, if they so
choose) in conjunction with FIPS-approved encryption techniques.
Development and implementation of such standards are necessary to guide
federal agencies in effectively and securely implementing key escrow
encryption.
The meeting is open to the public, although seating is limited to
approximately 100 individuals. Presentations may be limited in length
to accommodate all speakers. No detailed agenda has been set yet. NIST
reserves the right to cancel any part of the meeting.
Dated: August 23, 1995.
Samuel Kramer,
Associate Director.
[FR Doc. 95-21487 Filed 8-29-95; 8:45 am]
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