|
Under review and comment since 1991, the new Federal standards were confirmed this year and provide standard means for the protection of voice and data communications from accidental and wilful abuse. The standards are initially tailored to protect only ‘sensitive-but-unclassified’ (SBU) data in compliance with the Computer Security Act of 1987. These data represent the majority of transactions in electronic commerce, including sensitive procurement information, trade secrets, financial data, product definitions, and company-proprietary information classified as ‘intellectual property.’ Harmonization of the new standards with international requirements is in progress. In the United States, the confirmation of the basic standards marks the beginning of a long-range program to assure discretionary and mandatory access controls to digital resources. Upwards compatibility into the classified domain with multi-level security is a core requirement of the National Information Infrastructure. In this report we review the powerful capabilities of standard Public-Key-Cryptology, the availability of commercial and Federal products for data protection, and make recommendations for their cost-effective use to assure reliable telecommunications and process controls. |
ACCESS THE FULL ARTICLE
No SPIE Account? Create one
Standards development
Telecommunications
Data communications
Computer security
Control systems
Defense and security
Intellectual property
