Information processing standards, Federal: Waivers,

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Federal Register: October 1, 1998 (Volume 63, Number 190)NoticesPage 52693From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]

DOCID:fr01oc98-62

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY

FRL-6170-9Federal Information Processing Publications (FIPs) Waiver

ACTION: Notice of FIPS waiver.

SUMMARY: The Chief Information Officer for the Environmental Protection Agency has granted a waiver to the Agency to use the cryptographical features provided in Travel Manager Plus 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: The waiver takes effect upon authorization and will expire January 1, 2001. If the vendor incorporates Federal standards into the core product prior to January 1, 2001, EPA will end the waiver early at that time.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mark Day, Office of Information Resources Management, 401 M Street S.W. (3401), Washington, D.C. 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), 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 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, and 46-2 to enable EPA to use the built-in cryptographical features of the product Travel Manager. The installed version of Travel Manager Plus, currently used by EPA, does not employ FIPS standard cryptography.

EPA determined that the cryptographic protection embedded in Travel Manager Plus provides an appropriate level of security to protect the unclassified information used, communicated, and stored by EPA. Upon reviewing Travel Manager Plus' cryptographic capabilities, Agency personnel have concluded that if properly implemented, Travel Manager Plus provides a full range of security functionality that satisfies Agency requirements.

The additional costs required to purchase and maintain FIPS- compliant products that provide equivalent security functionality as that provided by non-standard, but commercially acceptable cryptography found in Travel Manager Plus 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 Travel Manager Plus, EPA is able to avoid unnecessary costs, while utilizing security functionality widely used throughout the Federal government.

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 Governmental Affairs of the Senate.

Dated: September 17, 1998. John Sandy, Acting Assistant Administrator and Chief Information Officer.

FR Doc. 98-26318Filed9-30-98; 8:45 amBILLING CODE 6560-50-P

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