http://www.nist.gov/public_affairs/techbeat/tb2007_1108.htm#sha	

November 8, 2007

NIST Issues Call for a New 'Hash' Algorithm

The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has opened a
competition to develop a new cryptographic "hash" algorithm, a tool
that converts a file, message or block of data to a short
"fingerprint" for use in digital signatures, message authentication
and other computer security applications. The competition is NIST’¡Çs
response to recent advances in the analysis of hash algorithms. The
new hash algorithm will be called Secure Hash Algorithm-3 (SHA-3) and
will augment the hash algorithms currently specified in the Federal
Information Processing Standard (FIPS) 180-2, Secure Hash
Standard. NIST's goal is that SHA-3 provide increased security and
offer greater efficiency for the applications using cryptographic hash
algorithms. FIPS standards are required for use in federal civilian
computer systems and are often adopted voluntarily by private
industry.

FIPS 180-2 specifies five cryptographic hash algorithms, including
SHA-1 and the SHA-2 family of hash algorithms. Because serious attacks
have been reported in recent years against cryptographic hash
algorithms, including SHA-1, and because SHA-1 and the SHA-2 family
share a similar design, NIST has decided to standardize an additional
hash algorithm to augment the ones currently specified in FIPS 180-2.

NIST issued a Call for a New Cryptographic Hash Algorithm (SHA-3)
Family in a Federal Register Notice on Nov. 2, 2007. The announcement
specifies the submission requirements, the minimum acceptability
requirements, and the evaluation criteria for candidate hash
algorithms. Entries for the competition must be received by Oct. 31,
2008. Details about the competition are available at
http://www.nist.gov/hash-competition.

Media Contact: Ben Stein, bstein@nist.gov, (301) 975-3097