OASIS Security Algorithms and Methods (SAM) Technical Committee

The original Call For Participation for this TC may be found at https://lists.oasis-open.org/archives/members/202005/msg00009.html

  1. Name of the TC

    Security Algorithms and Methods (SAM) Technical Committee

  2. Statement of Purpose

    The SAM Technical Committee will develop a set of documents to aid in the interoperability of implementations implementing cryptographic capabilities in support of OASIS and other standards and specifications. The TC’s work products will allow for the earlier adoption of existing and emerging security algorithms and approaches and to provide other technical committees a path to adoption where those defining the algorithms, mechanisms and methods are themselves not focused on or interested in the formal standardisation process.

    Business Benefits

    Many organisations are unable to comply with a range of standards that deal with cryptographic algorithms or methods because there are a number of algorithms and methods that are not documented in a manner readily referenced by implementers. The SAM TC works to deliver the following business benefits:

    • Enable referencing of existing and emerging algorithms and methods for utilisation in other standards work (including multiple OASIS TCs)
    • Enable referencing of existing and emerging algorithms and methods, so that they can be used in an interoperable way
    • Provide a faster path to the registration than existing methods such as NIST and the IETF

    Note: SAM TC does not seek to replace the work of other standards bodies, merely to provide a fast path to referencing the information.

  3. Scope of Work

    The primary goal of the SAM Technical Committee is to provide a standardised set of references of algorithms, mechanisms, and methods, including test-vectors, that can be used in other OASIS technical committees or where the standards are not yet defined by another recognised standards body.

    Any analysis of the security properties of included cryptographic algorithms, methods, and objects contained in their specifications are out of scope.

  4. Deliverables

    The format of the SAM TC deliverables will be agreed upon by the SAM TC but will include sufficient documentation to:

    • Capture target algorithms, mechanisms and methods in sufficient detail to enable implementers to use the work to reliably reproduce interoperable implementations;
    • Test target algorithms, mechanisms and methods to ensure accurate implementations can be generated;
    • Test target algorithms, mechanisms and methods to ensure implementations are interoperable; and
    • Define references sufficiently, so that they can be used by OASIS and other standards in the production of other interoperable systems.
    • Establish liaisons (as appropriate) with other organisations that perform similar work including those organisations noted in section 2a.
  5. IPR Mode

    This TC will operate under the Non-Assertion IPR mode as defined in Section 10.3 of the OASIS IPR Policy document.

  6. Audience

    SAM is intended for the following audiences:

    Architects, designers, and implementers of providers and consumers of systems or services that need to utilise cryptographic algorithms, methods, or objects.

  7. Language

    Workgroup business and proceedings will be conducted in English.