Miles E. Smid

Data Encryption Standard: past and future

The authors examine the past and future of the Data Encryption Standard (DES), which is the first, and to the present date, only, publicly available cryptographic algorithm that has been endorsed by the US government of the standard during the early 1970s, the controversy regarding the proposed standard during the mid-1970s, the growing acceptance and use of the standard in the 1980s, and some recent developments that could affect its future. >

A Framework for Designing Cryptographic Key Management Systems

This Framework for Designing Cryptographic Key Management Systems (CKMS) contains topics that should be considered by a CKMS designer when developing a CKMS design specification. For each topic, there are one or more documentation requirements that need to be addressed by the design specification. Thus, any CKMS that addresses each of these requirements would have a design specification that is compliant with this Framework.

Response to Comments of the NIST Proposed Digital Signature Standard

NIST received comments from 109 separate government agencies, companies, and private individuals concerning the proposed Digital Signature Standard. Both positive and negative comments were received. However the number of negative comments was significantly larger than normally received for a proposed Federal Information Processing Standard (FTPS). This paper summarizes the major comments, both positive and negative, and provides responses where appropriate. The paper highlights the anticipated significant modifications to the proposed standard and concludes by discussing the future milestones that need to be accomplished before the proposed DSS becomes a FTPS.

Integrating the Data Encryption Standard into Computer Networks

The NBS Data Encryption Standard may be integrated into computer networks to protect personal (nonshared) files, to communicate securely both on- and off-line with local and remote users, to protect against key substitution, to authenticate system users, to authenticate data, and to provide digital signatures using a nonpublic key encryption algorithm. Key notarization facilities give users the capability of exercising a set of commands for key management as well as for data encryption functions. The facilities perform notarization which, upon encryption, seals a key or password with the identities of the transmitter and intended receiver. Thus, in order to decrypt a message, the receiver must authenticate himself and supply the correct identity of the transmitter. This feature eliminates the threat of key substitution which must be protected against to attain a high level of security.

Recommendation for Key Management - Part 2: Best Practices for Key Management Organization

Special Publication 800-57 provides cryptographic key management guidance. It consists of three parts. Part 1 provides general guidance and best practices for the management of cryptographic keying material. Part 2 provides guidance on policy and security planning requirements for U.S. government agencies. Finally, Part 3 provides guidance when using the cryptographic features of current systems.

Integrity and security standards based on cryptography

Abstract Since the Data Encryption Standard (DES) was published in January, 1977, as a Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS), it has become the basis for the development of several security and integrity standards. Seven DES based security standards have already been approved, and several others are in development. Five standards making organizations are now involved with DES based standards: the American Bankers Association (ABA), the American National Standards Institute (ANSI), the General Services Administration (GSA), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and the National Bureau of Standards (NBS). While these standards are all based on the DES, future standards may make provision for using other cryptographic algorithms. For example, public key cryptographic algorithms could offer some advantages over the traditional, secret key cryptographic algorithms in certain applications. In anticipation of this future requirement NBS has published a Solicitation for Public Key Cryptography Algorithms to be used in special application standards.