Boston, MA, USA; January 17, 2001 - Organizations supporting divergent security standards united in an effort to develop a common XML specification through the OASIS Security Services Technical Committee. OASIS, the global XML interoperability consortium, hosted the first meeting of its new technical committee, which will define an XML framework for exchanging authentication and authorization information. Initially formed within OASIS to complete the S2ML security standard, the new committee agreed to accept submissions of other relevant technologies, including AuthXML.

"Our goal is to work together to advance a common security standard," said Eve Maler of Sun Microsystems, chair of the OASIS Security Services Technical Committee. "Everyone agrees that consensus is critical. Through its open technical process, OASIS provides the safe environment necessary for real collaboration."

"The result of our work at OASIS will be a single security services standard that will be widely accepted in the industry," predicted Marc Chanliau of Netegrity. "We brought S2ML to OASIS with that objective in mind, and we're confident that the technical committee has the critical mass to achieve our goal."

"Supporters of AuthXML welcome the opportunity to work within OASIS for the good of true interoperability and the XML community at large," commented Eric Olden of Securant Technologies. "By channeling the momentum of AuthXML into the committee, we look forward to advancing the development of a common, unified standard."

The OASIS Security Services Technical Committee includes representatives from Baltimore Technologies, Cisco, Commerce One, DataChannel, Entegrity, Entrust, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, Jamcracker, Netegrity, Oblix, OpenNetwork, Securant, SilverStream, Sun Microsytems, Tivoli, Verisign, Vordel and WebMethods. Membership is expected to increase in the coming months.

"Interest in advancing this work is extremely high," said Karl Best, director of technical operations for OASIS. He added that record numbers of companies and individuals have joined the Consortium specifically to participate in developing a common security standard.

The technical committee plans to publish draft specifications by June 2001 and to submit a formal specification to the OASIS membership by September 2001. Norbert Mikula of DataChannel, member of the OASIS Board of Directors and chair of its technical advisory committee, characterized the development schedule as, "very aggressive." He advised, "Any organization affected by the issue of security should get involved now."

About OASIS
OASIS (http://www.oasis-open.org/) is the international, not-for-profit consortium that advances electronic business by promoting open, collaborative development of interoperability specifications. OASIS operates XML.ORG, the non-commercial portal that delivers information on the use of XML in industry. The XML.ORG Registry provides as an open community clearinghouse for distributing and locating XML application schemas, vocabularies and related documents. OASIS serves as the home for industry groups and organizations interested in developing XML specifications.

OASIS sponsors include Adobe Systems, Access360, Aerospatiale, AND Data Solutions, Arbortext, Auto-trol, Aventail, Baltimore Technologies, B-Bop Associates, BEA Systems, Bentley Systems, Boeing, Bowstreet, Bridge, Chrystal Software, Cohesia, Commerce One, DataChannel, Dataloom, Defense Information Services Agency, Deutsche Post AG, Documentum, EADS Airbus, eCredit.com, empolis, Enigma, Excelergy, eXcelon, Extensibility, Extricity, First Call, Hewlett-Packard, IBM, icomXpress, Informix, Infoteria, Interwoven, IPNet Solutions, ISOGEN, ITEDO, Jamcracker, JetForm, Logistics Management Institute, Mediaplex, Mercator Software, Micrografx, Microsoft, Netegrity, Netfish, Netscape/AOL, NextPage, NII Enterprise Promotion Association, Nimble Technology, NIST, ObjectSpace, Pick Systems, Pearson Education, Popkin Software, ProNet Technology, Reuters, Sabre, SAP, Sequoia Software, SilverStream Software, SoftQuad, Software AG, StreamServe, Sun Microsystems, Tamalpais Group, Thomas Technology Solutions, TIBCO, Virtual Access Networks, Visa, Wavo, webMethods, Whitehill Technologies, Xerox, XML Global, XMLSolutions and XyEnterprise.

For more information:
Carol Geyer
Director of Communications
OASIS
carol.geyer@oasis-open.org
+1 978.667.5115 x209

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