NIST UPDATE for 23 May 1994 (fwd)

[Stanton McCandlish <mech@eff.org>]

See first article (others deleted - measurment devices, medical standards,
etc.)


Forwarded message:
Date: Mon, 23 May 1994 09:06:52 -0400 (EDT)
From: NIST Public Affairs Division <MEDIA@micf.nist.gov>
Subject: NIST UPDATE for 23 May 1994
To: NIST UPDATE Distribution <NIST_UPDATE@NIST.GOV>
Reply-to: baum@micf.nist.gov

FILE:     NIST UPDATE
DATE:     May 23, 1994

CONTENTS:
  Standard Helps Users `Sign' Electronic Data

[...]
---------------------------------------------------------------------
     This is the e-mail edition of NIST UPDATE. NIST UPDATE is a
     bi-weekly synopsis for journalists of current activites,
     research results, and program announcements from the
     National Institute of Standards and Technology. If you are
     interested in an electronic subscription to NIST UPDATE,
     send e-mail with your request (including the name of the
     news organization you represent, if you are not a free-lance
     writer) to: media@micf.nist.gov (Internet) or 71742,1344
     (CompuServe). NIST UPDATE may also be found on the NIST gopher
     service: gopher-server.nist.gov
---------------------------------------------------------------------

COMPUTER SECURITY

   Standard Helps Users `Sign' Electronic Data

   NIST recently announced approval of the Digital Signature
   Standard, which can be used to indicate that electronic messages
   and forms are authentic, much as handwritten signatures are used on
   checks, contracts and other paper documents. Many applications of
   the National Information Infrastructure, including electronic
   commerce, will benefit from the authentication service offered by
   digital signatures. The DSS, known as Federal Information
   Processing Standard 186, can be used in such areas as electronic
   mail, electronic funds transfer, software distribution, data
   storage and electronic data interchange. The government is not
   aware of any patents that would be infringed by this standard and
   will not charge royalties to those using the standard. The DSS
   applies to all federal departments, agencies and their contractors
   for the protection of unclassified information when digital
   signatures are required. Copies of the DSS (FIPS PUB 186) are
   available from the National Technical Information Service,
   Springfield, Va. 22161, (703) 487-4650.
   Media Contact: Anne Enright Shepherd, (301) 975-4858
                  aeshep@micf.nist.gov

[...]

-- 
Stanton McCandlish * mech@eff.org * Electronic Frontier Found. OnlineActivist
"In a Time/CNN poll of 1,000 Americans conducted last week by Yankelovich
Partners, two-thirds said it was more important to protect the privacy of
phone calls than to preserve the ability of police to conduct wiretaps.
When informed about the Clipper Chip, 80% said they opposed it."
- Philip Elmer-Dewitt, "Who Should Keep the Keys", TIME, Mar. 14 1994