Topics
Activities of the Cryptographic Technique Monitoring Subcommittee in FY 2003
October 22, 2003
Information Technology Promotion Agency
Telecommunications Advancement Organization of Japan
1. Background and purpose
The establishment of e-Government" has been promoted, setting a target time for completion in FY 2003. e-Government is a system to promote the efficient use of information by administrative agencies and realize electronization of public access (provision of administrative information and submission, etc., of notification to government by electronic means) and public management (government procurement, revenue and expenditure, etc.). For safe use and assurance of e-Government, secure operation of the system is an important requirement, and the establishment of an information security base is indispensable.
To this end, it was decided to require specialists of cryptography to conduct evaluation, objectively from the technical and professional viewpoint, on the security and reliability of cryptographic techniques, which are the basic technique of information security and, under entrustment from the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (present Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry), and the Information-Technology Promotion Agency (IPA), it was decided to establish the Cryptography Evaluation Committee and to start the Cryptographic Technique Evaluation Project (CRYPTREC: Cryptography Research and Evaluation Committee).
Since FY 2001, the IPA and the Communication/Broadcast Organization (TAO) have become a joint secretariat of the Cryptography Evaluation Committee, and implemented evaluation activity of cryptographic techniques under cooperation with the newly established CRYPTREC Advisory Committee (the Ministry of Internal Affairs and Communications (MIC) and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) are the joint secretariat).
In the 2002 fiscal year, the draft list of e-Government recommended ciphers list was prepared by integrating the evaluation results obtained so far. The draft of e-Government recommended ciphers list went through public comments invited by MIC and METI, and it was made public as the "e-Government Recommended Ciphers List" in February 2003.
Continual evaluation is necessary for cryptographic technique, due to its nature. Under the recognition that it is important to continuously evaluate the security of e-government recommended ciphers and to make investigation and discussion about revision of the e-Government Recommended Ciphers List, the Cryptography Evaluation Committee was reorganized, and the Cryptographic Technique Monitoring Subcommittee and the Cryptographic Module Subcommittee were established, under the CRYPTREC Advisory Committee, in 2003 fiscal year.
The Cryptographic Technique Monitoring Subcommittee and the Cryptographic Module Subcommittee will coordinate with each other and proceed with activities aimed at contributing to the assurance of security and reliability of the e-Government recommended ciphers.
2.Policy for activities
To elucidate and continuously monitor the trend of research related to the cryptographic techniques enumerated in the e-Government Recommended Ciphers List, and implement investigations on the security and reliability of each cryptographic algorithm. Also, to conduct investigation and examination taking into account revision of the e-Government Recommended Ciphers List in the future.
3.Detail of activities
- Monitoring of e-Government recommended ciphers
* To continuously collect and evaluate information related to the security of e-Government recommended ciphers
* To be thoroughly informed about information necessary for revision of the e-Government Recommended Ciphers List, and to make changes, such as the deletion of ciphers from the list
Actual monitoring activities and evaluation will be carried out by the Cryptographic Technique Monitoring Subcommittee, but a cryptographic technique investigation working group may be established, as necessary. - Investigation/examination placing focus on cryptographic algorithm, etc.
* Investigation of the latest trend of research
* Elucidation of the current situation of the problems of arithmetic logic algorithms, such as the problem of resolution into prime factors
* Investigation on the technical trend toward the revision of the list planned in 2008 or later
Actual investigation activities and examination will be carried out by the Cryptographic Technique Monitoring Subcommittee, but a cryptographic technique
investigation working group may be established, as necessary. - Investigation/examination for revision of the e-Government Recommended Ciphers List
Implementation of investigation and examination necessary for revision of the e-Government Recommended Ciphers List (establishment of a new list and abolition of the existing list).
4. Organization
5. Outline of schedule
| Date | Committee meeting to be held | Contents |
|---|---|---|
| November 19, 2003 | The 2nd meeting of the Cryptographic Technique Monitoring Subcommittee | Report of the investigation on the latest trend of research |
| Around November 2003 | The 2nd meeting of the cryptographic technique investigation working group (if necessary) | Report of the investigation on the latest trend of research |
| Around February - March 2004 | The 3rd meeting of the Cryptographic Technique Monitoring Subcommittee | Report of the investigation on the latest trend of researchv |
| Around February - March 2004 | The 3rd meeting of the cryptographic technique investigation working group (if necessary) |
6. Committee members [as of October 22, 2003]
| Chairperson | Hideki IMAI | Professor, Institute of Industrial Science, the University of Tokyo |
|---|---|---|
| Committee members | Shigeo TSUJII | Professor, Dept. of Information and Systems Engineering, Faculty of Science and Engineering, Chuo University |
| Committee members | Kazuo OHTA | Professor, Dept. of Information and Communication Engineering, Faculty of Electro-Communications, the University of Electro-Communications |
| Committee members | Toshinobu KANEKO | Professor, Dept. of Information Sciences, Faculty of Science and Technology, Tokyo University of Science |
| Committee members | Ryoichi SASAKI | Professor, Dept. of Information Systems and Multimedia Design, School of Engineering, Tokyo Denki University |
| Committee members | Tsutomu MATSUMOTO | Professor, Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University |
| Committee members | Akira OHTSUKA | Senior Researcher, Security Center, Information-Technology Promotion Agency, Japan |
| Committee members | Hidema TANAKA | Scientist, Information and Network Systems Dept., National Institute of Information and Communications Technology |
| Committee members | Akihiro YAMAMURA | Chief Scientist, Information and Network Systems Dept., National Institute of Information and Communications Technology |
| Committee members | Hajime WATANABE | Research Institute of Information Processing, National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology |
If you have any opinion, comment, or inquiry about this topic, please contact us at the following address.
CRYPTREC Secretariat
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