4th CACR Information Security Workshop

Speaker
Les Biggs, InfoGard

Title
FIPS 140-1(2) and its Role in Information Security Strategies

Abstract
The philosophy and motivation behind the establishment of the FIPS 140 standard emphasizes its value in today's information age. More than a methodology, FIPS 140 validation is a specification based on well established standards addressing security requirements over a wide spectrum of data sensitivities. We will give an overview of the standard, its objectives and methodologies, as well as the Validation Program designed to carry out those objectives. With the recent approval of the Common Criteria Standard, the roles of the two programs in the commercial world and how they will benefit each other is a natural topic and will be explored. The value of the role played by the third party laboratory in these processes will also be highlighted.

Speaker Bio
Les Biggs is vice president and co-founder of InfoGard Laboratories. Les has 30 years of experience in information security issues as well as security product design and manufacturing. In the late 1980's Les began his participation in the development of the FIPS 140-1 cryptographic implementation standard. Subsequently he formed InfoGard laboratories, the first NIST accredited cryptographic laboratory, to validate designs to that standard.