[Federal Register Volume 66, Number 40 (Wednesday, February 28, 2001)]
[Notices]
[Pages 12762-12763]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 01-4886]


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DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE

National Institute of Standards and Technology

[Docket No. 000929280-0280-01]
RIN 0693-ZA-42


Announcing Draft Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 
for the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES) and Request for Comments

AGENCY: National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), 
Commerce.

ACTION: Notice; request for comments.

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SUMMARY: Recently, NIST announced its selection for the Advanced 
Encryption Standard (AES) in a report available at http://www.nist.gov/aes/, and this selection for the AES has now been described in detail 
in a Draft Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) for the AES. 
The Draft FIPS for the AES specifies technology that can be used to 
protect the confidentiality of sensitive (unclassified) electronic 
information. The AES specification will provide a FIPS-approved 
encryption algorithm in addition to the Triple Data Encryption

[[Page 12763]]

Algorithm (``Triple DES''), which is specified in FIPS 46-3.
    NIST invites public comments on the Draft FIPS for the AES. After 
the comment period closes, NIST will analyze the comments, make changes 
to the document, as appropriate, and then propose the draft standard to 
the Secretary of Commerce for approval as a FIPS.

DATES: Comments on the Draft FIPS for the AES must be received on or 
before May 29, 2001.

Specifications: Specifications for the Draft FIPS for the AES are 
available through the AES home page: http://www.nist.gov/aes/.

ADDRESSES: Official comments on the Draft FIPS for the AES may either 
be sent electronically to [email protected] or by regular mail to: 
Chief, Computer Security Division, Information Technology Laboratory, 
ATTN: Comments on Draft FIPS for the AES, 100 Bureau Drive, Stop 8930, 
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-
8930.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. James Foti (301) 975-5237, 
[email protected], National Institute of Standards and Technology, 100 
Bureau Drive, STOP 8930, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8930.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: In January 1997, NIST initiated an effort to 
develop the Advanced Encryption Standard (AES), which would provide 
cryptographic security well into the twenty-first century. In August 
1999, NIST announced five publicly submitted candidate algorithms as 
finalists for the AES, and invited public review, comment, and analysis 
in order to make a selection for the Draft FIPS for the AES. During the 
Round 2 technical evaluation period, these five finalists were 
subjected to extensive analysis and testing by the cryptographic 
community. After much careful study and consideration of the finalists 
and Round 2 public comments, NIST made its selection for the Draft FIPS 
for the AES, and issued a report explaining that selection. The report 
is available at http://www.nist.gov/aes/.
    NIST strongly encourages the public to continue performing analyses 
of the security of the AES, and to submit those analyses as official 
comments in response to this request. Such analyses and other comments 
received will be considered by NIST in preparing the final version of 
the FIPS for the AES.
    NIST seeks detailed comments regarding any intellectual property 
that may be infringed by the practice of the algorithm(s) in the Draft 
FIPS for the AES. This includes comments from all parties regarding 
specific claims that the practice of a finalists algorithm infringes on 
their patent(s). Claims regarding infringement of copyrighted software 
are also particularly solicited. NIST views this input as a critical 
factor in the eventual widespread adoption and implementation of the 
Draft FIPS for the AES.
    NIST reminds all interested parties that the AES development effort 
is being conducted as an open standards-setting activity. Specifically, 
NIST has requested that all interested parties identify to NIST any 
patents or inventions that may be required for the use of AES. Public 
comments received in response to this request will be posted 
periodically during the comment period at http://csrc.nist.gov/cryptval/aes/draftfips/.
    To encourage on-going discussions related to the AES, NIST will 
continue to maintain its AES electronic discussion forum at http://aes.nist.gov/aes/. Please note that comments posted at that site will 
NOT be considered ``official'' comments.
    No additional conferences are planned for the Draft FIPS for the 
AES at this time.
    NIST intends to develop a Draft FIPS for AES Modes of Operation. 
Given the need for further public discussion and study of suggested 
modes of operation, NIST will hold a public workshop to discuss the 
Draft FIPS. Details on this effort are located at http://www.nist.gov/modes/.

    Authority: Federal Information Processing Standards Publications 
(FIPS PUBS) are issued by the National Institute of Standards and 
Technology after approval by the Secretary of Commerce pursuant to 
section 5131 of the Information Technology Management Reform Act of 
1996 and the Computer Security Act of 1987, Public Law 100-235.

    E.O. 12866: This notice has been determined to be significant 
for purposes of E.O. 12866.

    Dated: February 20, 2001.
Karen Brown,
Acting Director, NIST.
[FR Doc. 01-4886 Filed 2-27-01; 8:45 am]
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