Announcing a Draft Federal Information Processing Standard for the Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC), and Request for Comments
January 05, 2001

"This notice announces a draft Federal Information Processing Standard (FIPS) for the Keyed-Hash Message Authentication Code (HMAC), for public review and comment.

This draft FIPS describes a keyed-hash message authentication code (HMAC), A MECHANISM FOR MESSAGE AUTHENTICATION USING CRYPTOGRAPHIC HASH FUNCTIONS, HMAC can be used with any FIPS-approved cryptographic hash function, in combination with a shared secrete key. The cryptographic strength of HMAC depends on the properties of the underlying hash function. The HMAC specification in this draft FIPS is a generalization of HMAC as specified in Internet RFC 2104, HMAC, Keyed-Hashing for Message Authentication, and ANSI X9.71, Keyed Hash Message Authentication Code.

Prior to the submission of this proposed standard to the Secretary of Commerce for review and approval, it is essential that consideration is given to the needs and views of the public, users, the information technology industry, and Federal, State and local government organizations. The purpose of this notice is to solicit such views."