Unformatted text preview:

FIPS PUB 186-2(+Change Notice) FEDERAL INFORMATION PROCESSING STANDARDS PUBLICATION 2000 January 27U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE/National Institute of Standards and TechnologyDIGITAL SIGNATURE STANDARD (DSS)CATEGORY: COMPUTER SECURITYU.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE, William M. Daley, SecretaryNATIONAL INSTITUTE OF STANDARDS AND TECHNOLOGY,Raymond G. Kammer, Director ForewordThe Federal Information Processing Standards Publication Series of the National Institute ofStandards and Technology (NIST) is the official series of publications relating to standards andguidelines adopted and promulgated under the provisions of Section 5131 of the InformationTechnology Management Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-106), and the Computer SecurityAct of 1987 (Public Law 100-235). These mandates have given the Secretary of Commerce andNIST important responsibilities for improving the utilization and management of computer andrelated telecommunications systems in the Federal Government. The NIST, through its InformationTechnology Laboratory, provides leadership, technical guidance, and coordination of Governmentefforts in the development of standards and guidelines in these areas.Comments concerning Federal Information Processing Standards Publications are welcomed andshould be addressed to the Director, Information Technology Laboratory, National Institute ofStandards and Technology, 100 Bureau Dr. Stop 8900, Gaithersburg, MD 20899-8900.William Mehuron, DirectorInformation Technology LaboratoryAbstractThis standard specifies a suite of algorithms which can be used to generate a digital signature. Digital signatures are used to detect unauthorized modifications to data and to authenticate theidentity of the signatory. In addition, the recipient of signed data can use a digital signature inproving to a third party that the signature was in fact generated by the signatory. This is known asnonrepudiation since the signatory cannot, at a later time, repudiate the signature.Key words: ADP security, computer security, digital signatures, public-key cryptography, FederalInformation Processing Standards.1 FIPS PUB 186-2Federal InformationProcessing Standards Publication 186-22000 January 27Announcing theDIGITAL SIGNATURE STANDARD (DSS)Federal Information Processing Standards Publications (FIPS PUBS) are issued by the NationalInstitute of Standards and Technology (NIST) after approval by the Secretary of Commerce pursuantto Section 5131 of the Information Technology Management Reform Act of 1996 (Public Law 104-106), and the Computer Security Act of 1987 (Public Law 100-235).Name of Standard: Digital Signature Standard (DSS).Category of Standard: Computer Security, Cryptography.Explanation: This Standard specifies algorithms appropriate for applications requiring a digital,rather than written, signature. A digital signature is represented in a computer as a string of binarydigits. A digital signature is computed using a set of rules and a set of parameters such that theidentity of the signatory and integrity of the data can be verified. An algorithm provides thecapability to generate and verify signatures. Signature generation makes use of a private key togenerate a digital signature. Signature verification makes use of a public key which corresponds to,but is not the same as, the private key. Each user possesses a private and public key pair. Publickeys are assumed to be known to the public in general. Private keys are never shared. Anyone canverify the signature of a user by employing that user's public key. Signature generation can beperformed only by the possessor of the user's private key.A hash function is used in the signature generation process to obtain a condensed version of data,called a message digest (see Figure 1). The message digest is then input to the digital signature (ds)algorithm to generate the digital signature. The digital signature is sent to the intended verifier alongwith the signed data (often called the message). The verifier of the message and signature verifiesthe signature by using the sender's public key. The same hash function must also be used in theverification process. The hash function is specified in a separate standard, the Secure Hash Standard(SHS), FIPS 180-1. FIPS approved ds algorithms must be implemented with the SHS. Similarprocedures may be used to generate and verify signatures for stored as well as transmitted data.2Approving Authority: Secretary of Commerce.Maintenance Agency: U.S. Department of Commerce, National Institute of Standards andTechnology (NIST), Information Technology Laboratory (ITL).Applicability: This standard is applicable to all Federal departments and agencies for the protectionof sensitive unclassified information that is not subject to section 2315 of Title 10, United StatesCode, or section 3502(2) of Title 44, United States Code. This standard shall be used in designingand implementing public-key based signature systems that Federal departments and agencies operateor which are operated for them under contract. Adoption and use of this standard is available toprivate and commercial organizations.Applications: A digital signature (ds) algorithm authenticates the integrity of the signed data andthe identity of the signatory. A ds algorithm may also be used in proving to a third party that datawas actually signed by the generator of the signature. A ds algorithm is intended for use in electronicmail, electronic funds transfer, electronic data interchange, software distribution, data storage, and3other applications that require data integrity assurance and data origin authentication. Thetechniques specified in ANSI X9.31 and ANSI X9.62 may be used in addition to the DigitalSignature Algorithm (DSA) specified herein. (NIST editorial note: either DSA, RSA [ANSI X9.31],or ECDSA [ANSI X9.62] may be used; all three do not have to be implemented.)Implementations: A ds algorithm may be implemented in software firmware, hardware or anycombination thereof. NIST has developed a validation program to test implementations forconformance to DSA. Currently, conformance tests for ANSI X9.31 and ANSI X9.62 have not beendeveloped. These tests will be developed and made available in the future. Information about theplanned validation program can be obtained from the National Institute of Standards andTechnology, Information Technology Laboratory, Attn: DSS Validation, 100 Bureau Drive Stop8930, Gaithersburg, MD


View Full Document

MIT 6 857 - DIGITAL SIGNATURE STANDARD

Documents in this Course
Load more
Download DIGITAL SIGNATURE STANDARD
Our administrator received your request to download this document. We will send you the file to your email shortly.
Loading Unlocking...
Login

Join to view DIGITAL SIGNATURE STANDARD and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or
We will never post anything without your permission.
Don't have an account?
Sign Up

Join to view DIGITAL SIGNATURE STANDARD 2 2 and access 3M+ class-specific study document.

or

By creating an account you agree to our Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use

Already a member?