Evaluation of Cryptographic Techniques Project

Evaluation of Cryptographic Techniques Project

June 13, 2000
Information-technology Promotion Agency, Japan

The background and objectives of the project

Creating the common security basis is one of the most important tasks for the Japanese electronic government of which the infrastructure and primary systems shall be constructed by FY 2003.

Cryptographic techniques are particularly important and indispensable components of the electronic government because these not only provide information confidentiality and prevent information falsification, but also assure electronic authentication.

Because of the importance of cryptographic techniques, it has been pointed out domestically that the Japanese national government should adopt a cryptography usage policy in order to ensure that cryptography is integrated properly into the electronic government and internationally the ISO/IEC JTC1 have begun efforts aimed at standardizing cryptographic algorithms.

The purpose of this project is to create a technical report. The report is to include a list of characteristics on cryptographic techniques that will be proposed through a call for submission applicable to the Japanese electronic government. To make such list, IPA will investigate and evaluate the proposed cryptographic techniques in terms of security, implementation and other characteristics from the viewpoints of various objective specialists.

This project is an essential part of the MITI Action Plan for a Secure E-Government — announced by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (MITI) in April 2000. MITI has entrusted the IPA with the implementation of this project.

Abstract of the project implementation

IPA organizes a committee (Cryptography Research and Evaluation Committee) for implementing this project.

The committee is composed of most prominent cryptography specialists in Japan and will evaluate the cryptographic techniques that are submitted.

Cryptographic Techniques that will be evaluated are asymmetric cryptographic schemes, symmetric ciphers, hash functions and pseudorandom number generators - the four types of techniques considered indispensable in the electronic government.

The evaluation will be conducted in two phases: the screening test phase and the detailed evaluation phase. Detailed evaluations will be conducted on proposals that have passed screening tests. The evaluation guidelines are to be established by the committee.

Reports, including the evaluation results, will be compiled by the committee following due and proper consideration on fairness and transparency, and will be announced on web pages hosted by the IPA.

Evaluation schedule (plan)

Year 2000

• June 13: Start of collecting proposals
• Early July: Announcement of the evaluation guidelines
• July 14: Deadline for proposal arrival
• August-September: Screening evaluation results
• Early October: Announcement of screening evaluation
• October-December: Detailed evaluation results

Year 2001

• February or later: Announcement of detailed evaluation

Members of Cryptography Research and Evaluation Committee