Common Data Security Architecture

Specifications

The Open Group™ Security Working Group (TOG-SWG) has completed formal review of modifications to the CDSA specifications. These modifications have been accepted by the group majority and are awaiting final ratification by The Open Group Board of Approvals. The base specification and the proposed changes reviewed by TOG-SWG are available to members of The Open Group. The Open Group is the leading vendor-neutral, international consortium for buyers and suppliers of Information Systems Integration technology. Only TOG members can download the base CDSA specifications and adopted change requests

Final ballot comments from TOG-SWG are being addressed and incorporated into the specifications. The Open Group is initiating the official publication process. In the interim, Intel offers to the industry an integrated, draft copy of the revised CDSA Application Programming Interface specification. This draft contains all modifications except the final ballot points currently under review. This interim document will be superceded by The Open Group’s official publication of the CDSA version 2.0 specification, anticipated during the summer of 1999.

Download the interim, integrated CDSA Version 2.0 API specification (2,759k)

In December 1997, The Open Group formally adopted the CDSA 2.0 Specifications as the premier security framework. The Open Group is the leading vendor-neutral, international consortium for buyers and suppliers of technology. Download or order a copy of the CDSA 2.0 specifications

The UAS is an Elective Module Manager extension to the Common Data Security Architecture framework. Its basic purpose is to verify the identity of a person based on one or more of the following:

• What the person knows (a password)
• What the person has (a smartcard)
• Who the person is (some physiological or behavioral characteristic - a biometric).
• Secrets, such as cryptographic private keys, persistent data objects, and service sessions can be protected on the basis of this identification.

To achieve a broad industry consensus on a standard User Authentication framework and interfaces, we are working with the new BioAPI Consortium (formed by the merger of the HA-API Working Group and the BioAPI Consortium), and with members of The Open Group™. Our intent is to standardize the UAS specification through The Open Group™ Fast Track review and adoption process. To ensure the broadest industry review and input, interested companies that are not already members of the BioAPI Consortium or The Open Group are invited to participate in the development of the UAS definition. The UAS work group and email list has been established as a general, open forum for review and feedback on the UAS specification. In order to provide clear copyright to The Open Group after formal TOG review and adoption, work group participants must download, print, and sign the Contributors Agreement, and fax it to 503-264-6225, Attention: UAS Contributors Agreement.

Download the UAS Specification (179K)
Download the Contributor's Agreement (9K)

Draft J-CDSA 1.2 Specification (September 1998)

The J-Common Data Security Architecture (J-CDSA) Specification defines a Java™ interface to the security services defined by the Common Security Services Manager (CSSM). CSSM is the security framework component of the four-layer CDSA. The Open Group™ adopted CDSA and CSSM as a technical industry specification called Common Security: CDSA and CSSM. The Open Group specification defines C language interfaces for security services.

The purpose of J-CDSA is to:

• Make CSSM-defined services available to Java applications
• Bring the security-critical aspects of the CDSA architecture to the Java environment
• Maintain a similar, but appropriate programming paradigm for developers using the C language and the Java language

Our intent is to use The Open Group Fast Track standardization process to achieve a broad industry consensus on a J-CDSA specification. To this end, interested companies are invited to participate in the evolution of the specification prior to submission to The Open Group. In order to provide clear copyright to The Open Group, reviewers providing comments to Intel on the specification must download, print, and sign the Contributor's Agreement. The signed Contributor's Agreement can be returned to Intel by fax at 503-264-6225, Attention: J-CDSA Contributor's Agreement.

The J-CDSA 1.2 specification presents the security interfaces and services defined in the CSSM 1.2 Applications Programming Interface Specification. The J-CDSA specification consists of a set of JavaDocs and includes a User's Guide.

Download the J-CDSA 1.2 JavaDocs and User's Guide (248K)
Download the Contributor's Agreement (9K)