Click Here! |

Brief Full Advanced Search Search Tips
|  |  | To access the contents, click the chapter and section titles. Applied Cryptography, Second Edition: Protocols, Algorthms, and Source Code in C (cloth) (Publisher: John Wiley & Sons, Inc.) Author(s): Bruce Schneier ISBN: 0471128457 Publication Date: 01/01/96 Search this book:
Previous | Table of Contents | Next
The official “Memorandum of Understanding” (MOU) between the two agencies reads: MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING BETWEEN THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY AND THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY AGENCY CONCERNING THE IMPLEMENTATION OF PUBLIC LAW 100-235 Recognizing that: A. Under Section 2 of the Computer Security Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-235), (the Act), the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has the responsibility within the Federal Government for: 1. Developing technical, management, physical, and administrative standards and guidelines for the cost-effective security and privacy of sensitive information in Federal computer systems as defined in the Act; and, 2. Drawing on the computer system technical security guidelines of the National Security Agency (NSA) in this regard where appropriate. B. Under Section 3 of the Act, the NIST is to coordinate closely with other agencies and offices, including the NSA, to assure: 1. Maximum use of all existing and planned programs, materials, studies, and reports relating to computer systems security and privacy, in order to avoid unnecessary and costly duplication of effort; and, 2. To the maximum extent feasible, that standards developed by the NIST under the Act are consistent and compatible with standards and procedures developed for the protection of classified information in Federal computer systems. C. Under the Act, the Secretary of Commerce has the responsibility, which he has delegated to the Director of NIST, for appointing the members of the Computer System Security and Privacy Advisory Board, at least one of whom shall be from the NSA. Therefore, in furtherance of the purposes of this MOU, the Director of the NIST and the Director of the NSA hereby agree as follows: I. The NIST will: 1. Appoint to the Computer Security and Privacy Advisory Board at least one representative nominated by the Director of the NSA. 2. Draw upon computer system technical security guidelines developed by the NSA to the extent that the NIST determines that such guidelines are consistent with the requirements for protecting sensitive information in Federal computer systems. 3. Recognize the NSA-certified rating of evaluated trusted systems under the Trusted Computer Security Evaluation Criteria Program without requiring additional evaluation. 4. Develop telecommunications security standards for protecting sensitive unclassified computer data, drawing upon the expertise and products of the National Security Agency, to the greatest extent possible, in meeting these responsibilities in a timely and cost-effective manner. 5. Avoid duplication where possible in entering into mutually agreeable arrangements with the NSA for the NSA support. 6. Request the NSA’s assistance on all matters related to cryptographic algorithms and cryptographic techniques including but not limited to research, development evaluation, or endorsement. II. The NSA will: 1. Provide the NIST with technical guidelines in trusted technology, telecommunications security, and personal identification that may be used in cost-effective systems for protecting sensitive computer data. 2. Conduct or initiate research and development programs in trusted technology, telecommunications security, cryptographic techniques and personal identification methods. 3. Be responsive to the NIST’s requests for assistance in respect to all matters related to cryptographic algorithms and cryptographic techniques including but not limited to research, development, evaluation, or endorsement. 4. Establish the standards and endorse products for application to secure systems covered in 10 USC Section 2315 (the Warner Amendment). 5. Upon request by Federal agencies, their contractors and other government-sponsored entities, conduct assessments of the hostile intelligence threat to federal information systems, and provide technical assistance and recommend endorsed products for application to secure systems against that threat. III. The NIST and the NSA shall: 1. Jointly review agency plans for the security and privacy of computer systems submitted to NIST and NSA pursuant to section 6(b) of the Act. 2. Exchange technical standards and guidelines as necessary to achieve the purposes of the Act. 3. Work together to achieve the purposes of this memorandum with the greatest efficiency possible, avoiding unnecessary duplication of effort. 4. Maintain an on-going open dialogue to ensure that each organization remains abreast of emerging technologies and issues affecting automated information system security in computer-based systems. 5. Establish a Technical Working Group to review and analyze issues of mutual interest pertinent to protection of systems that process sensitive or other unclassified information. The Group shall be composed of six federal employees, three each selected by NIST and NSA and to be augmented as necessary by representatives of other agencies. Issues may be referred to the group by either the NSA Deputy Director for Information Security or the NIST Deputy Director or may be generated and addressed by the group upon approval by the NSA DDI or NIST Deputy Director. Within days of the referral of an issue to the Group by either the NSA Deputy Director for Information Security or the NIST Deputy Director, the Group will respond with a progress report and plan for further analysis, if any. 6. Exchange work plans on an annual basis on all research and development projects pertinent to protection of systems that process sensitive or other unclassified information, including trusted technology, for protecting the integrity and availability of data, telecommunications security and personal identification methods. Project updates will be exchanged quarterly, and project reviews will be provided by either party upon request of the other party. 7. Ensure the Technical Working Group reviews prior to public disclosure all matters regarding technical systems security techniques to be developed for use in protecting sensitive information in federal computer systems to ensure they are consistent with the national security of the United States. If NIST and NSA are unable to resolve such an issue within 60 days, either agency may elect to raise the issue to the Secretary of Defense and the Secretary of Commerce. It is recognized that such an issue may be referred to the President through the NSC for resolution. No action shall be taken on such an issue until it is resolved. 8. Specify additional operational agreements in annexes to this MOU as they are agreed to by NSA and NIST. IV. Either party may elect to terminate this MOU upon six months’ written notice. This MOU is effective upon approval of both signatories. /signed/ RAYMOND G. KAMMER Acting Director, National Institute of Standards and Technology, 24 March 1989 W. O. STUDEMAN Vice Admiral, U.S. Navy; Director, National Security Agency, 23 March 1989
Previous | Table of Contents | Next
[an error occurred while processing this directive]

| Products | Contact Us | About Us | Privacy | Ad Info | Home Use of this site is subject to certain Terms & Conditions, Copyright © 1996-1999 EarthWeb Inc. All rights reserved. Reproduction whole or in part in any form or medium without express written permision of EarthWeb is prohibited.