ACM SIGSAC AWARDS

ACM SIGSAC is offering two annual awards: SIGSAC Outstanding Innovation Award and SIGSAC Outstanding Contributions Award. At most one award is given each year in each category.

The award criteria are as follows:

• SIGSAC Outstanding Innovation Award: This award is given for outstanding and innovative technical contributions to the field of computer and communication security that have had lasting impact in furthering or understanding the theory or development of secure systems.
• SIGSAC Outstanding Contribution Award: This award is given for significant contribution to the field of computer and communication security through fostering research and development activities, educating students, or providing professional services such as the running of professional societies and conferences.

The SIGSAC Awards Committee is now open to receiving nominations for the awards. The awards will be presented at ACM Conference on Computer and Communication Security, Alexandria, VA, USA, October 29 - November 2, 2007.

NOMINATION PROCESS: Each nomination should be co-sponsored by at least 3 people. Email co-sponsorship is accepted. Nominations should include a proposed citation (up to 25 words), a succinct (100-250 words) description of the innovation/contribution, and a detailed statement (1-2 page) to justify the nomination as well as other supporting materials. Nominations should be submitted via e-mail (with subject "SIGSAC Innovation/Contribution Award nomination") to the chair of the SIGSAC Awards Committee: Pierangela Samarati (samarati@dti.unimi.it).

DEADLINE FOR NOMINATIONS: Deadline for receiving nomination is August 18, 2007.

EXCLUSIONS: The SIGSAC Awards Committee chair and members are not eligible to be nominated for either Award.

The details related to the nomination process and administration of the awards are posted at http://www.acm.org/sigs/sigsac/awards.html.

NIST has recently revised the Draft NIST Special Publication 800-38D,
which specifies the Galois/Counter Mode (GCM).  The document is available
for your review from the draft publications page on the NIST web site, http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/drafts.html. NIST welcomes public comments on the draft until July 30, 2007; comments may be sent to EncryptionModes@nist.gov ..

NIST announces the release of Draft FIPS 198-1, The Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC). The draft FIPS 198-1 is the proposed revision of FIPS 198. Comments will be accepted through September 10, 2007. Comments may be sent to proposed198-1@nist.gov with "Comments on Draft 198-1" in the subject line. The draft is available at  http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/drafts.html.

NIST announces the release of Draft FIPS 180-3, Secure Hash Standard (SHS). The draft FIPS 180-3 is the proposed revision of FIPS 180-2. Comments will be accepted through September 10, 2007. Comments may be sent to Proposed180-3@nist.gov with "Comments on Draft 180-3" in the subject line. The draft is available at  http://csrc.nist.gov/publications/drafts.html.