National Institute of Standards and Technology July 2008 – Federal Register Recent Federal Regulation Documents

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announces approval of Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) Publication 198-1, The Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC), a revision of FIPS 198. The FIPS specifies a mechanism for message authentication using cryptographic hash functions in federal information systems. The technical information about the security provided by the HMAC algorithm, and the length limit and security implications of truncated HMAC outputs have been removed from the revised standard. This information may need frequent updating, and its removal from the specification will enable NIST to employ a more effective process for keeping the information current. NIST will provide specific guidelines about the security provided by the HMAC and the use of truncation techniques for it in Special Publication (SP) 800-17, which can be updated in a timely manner as the technical conditions change.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology's (NIST) Technology Innovation Program (TIP) announces that it will hold a single fiscal year 2008 competition and is soliciting high-risk, high- reward research and development proposals for financial assistance. TIP also announces that it will hold public meetings (Proposers' Conferences) for all interested parties. TIP is soliciting proposals under this fiscal year 2008 competition in one area of critical national need entitled ``Civil Infrastructure'' as described in the Program Description section below.

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) invites and requests nomination of individuals for appointment to its eight existing Federal Advisory Committees: Technology Innovation Program Advisory Committee, Board of Overseers of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Judges Panel of the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award, Information Security and Privacy Advisory Board, Manufacturing Extension Partnership Advisory Board, National Construction Safety Team Advisory Committee, Advisory Committee on Earthquake Hazards Reduction, and Visiting Committee on Advanced Technology. NIST will consider nominations received in response to this notice for appointment to the Committees, in addition to nominations already received.