21 May 1999 Source: http://www.access.gpo.gov/su_docs/aces/fr-cont.html ----------------------------------------------------------------------- [Federal Register: May 10, 1999 (Volume 64, Number 89)] [Notices] [Page 25039] From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov] [DOCID:fr10my99-68] [[Page 25039]] ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY [FRL-6339-7] Notice of FIPS Waiver AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency. ACTION: Notice. ----------------------------------------------------------------------- SUMMARY: The Chief Information Officer for the Environmental Protection Agency has granted an extension to the Agency of its waiver (published at 62 FR 17187, effective March 21, 1997) to use the RSA cryptographical features provided in Lotus Notes in lieu of the Secure Hashing Standard (FIPS PUB 180-1), Digital Signature Standard (FIPS PUB 186), and Data Encryption Standard (FIPS PUB 46-2). This waiver is pursuant to section 111(d)(3) of the Federal Property and Services Act of 1949, as amended. DATES: This waiver extension takes effect on April 9, 1999 and is valid until January 1, 2002. If the vendor incorporates Federal standards into the core product prior to January 1, 2002, EPA will end the waiver early at that time. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Day, Office of Information Resources Management, 401 M Street SW (3401), Washington, DC 20460, 202-260-4465. SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Federal Information Processing Standards publications (FIPS PUBS) for the Secure Hashing Standard (FIPS PUB 180- 1), Digital Signature Standard (FIPS PUB 186-1), and the Data Encryption Standard (FIPS PUB 46-2) establish standards for generating digital signatures (which can be used to verify authenticity) and for the encryption of sensitive information transmitted and stored electronically. These FIPS publications also allow Federal agencies to waive them under certain circumstances:. A waiver may be granted if compliance with a standard would adversely affect the accomplishment of the mission of an operator of a Federal computer system; or compliance with a standard would cause a major adverse financial impact on the operator which is not offset by Government-wide savings. The Chief Information Officer for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has granted a waiver of FIPS PUBS 180-1, 186-1, and 46-2 to enable EPA to use the build-in cryptographic features of the groupware product Lotus Notes. The installed version of Lotus Notes, currently used by EPA, does not employ FIP standard cryptography. Rather it uses cryptography that enjoys widespread use in the private sector, domestically and internationally. This cryptography is Message Digest 2 (MD-2), the Rivest, Shamir, and Adelman (RSA) signature algorithm, and RC-4 symmetric encryption algorithm. EPA determined that the cryptographic protection embedded in Lotus Notes provides an appropriate level of security to protect the unclassified information used, communicated, and stored by EPA. Upon reviewing RSA's cryptographic capabilities, Agency personnel have concluded that if properly implemented, Lotus Notes provides a full range of security functionality that fully satisfies Agency requirements. The additional costs required to purchase and maintain FIPS- complaint products that provide equivalent security functionality as that provided by non-standard, but commercially acceptable cryptography found in Lotus Notes is a significant factor underlying the granting of this waiver. The acquisition costs for either software- or hardware- based products that implement existing Federal cryptographic standards are unnecessary. By using the cryptography embedded in Lotus Notes, EPA is able to avoid unnecessary costs, while utilizing security functionality widely accepted by the public and private sectors. In accordance with FIPS requirements, notice of this waiver has been sent to the National Institute of Standards and Technology, the Committee on Government Reform and Oversight of the House of Representatives, and the Committee on Government Affairs of the Senate. Dated: April 9, 1999. Alvin M. Pesachowitz, Acting Assistant Administrator and Chief Information Officer. [FR Doc. 99-11714 Filed 5-7-99; 8:45 am] BILLING CODE 6560-50-M