Companies seeking to work with the U.S. Federal Government in any capacity are required to meet their strict cybersecurity standards. To this end, the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA) requires an Authority to Operate (ATO) security authorization process. Achieving this authorization means ensuring compliance with requirements determined by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST), among other security aspects.
NIST-approved cryptographic curves do not include the curves used on Mainnet Ethereum. The Mainnet Ethereum cryptographic methodology was chosen intentionally and delivers proven, equivalent levels of security, yet this divergence from NIST processes often causes friction for companies building on Ethereum and seeking Federal Government approval. Work must be done to facilitate government approval to build projects on Ethereum.
Your help is needed to further this cause and help advance the business goals of companies working with the U.S. Federal Government and building on Ethereum. Here’s how to get involved:
What: The Enterprise Ethereum Alliance (EEA) has formed an Authority to Operate Working Group to help address this ongoing issue. The group will examine the minimum requirements to produce Ethereum-based blockchains that can pass the Authority to Operate process, whether through introducing a minimum viable set of alternate cryptographic mechanisms, or facilitating NIST approval of those used in Ethereum.
The working group is chaired by John Greaves, Director of Global Standards, Architecture, Conformity and Propagation at ConsenSys Health. A globally recognized leader in technology, Greaves is a pioneer in both DLT and Blockchain technology. He brings more than 40 years of experience in the Standards, Regulatory and Compliance areas to his role as chairman of this working group.
Who: The Authority to Operate Working Group is seeking current and new EEA members who expect to work with the U.S. Federal Government or supply products to customers who work with the U.S. Federal Government.
Why Join: Any company building on Ethereum and working with the U.S. Federal Government has a vested interest in facilitating the government’s acceptance and use of Ethereum-based products. The Authority to Operate Working Group aims to bring those interests and minds together to further the advancement and competitive offerings of the business Ethereum community. This is an opportunity to be a leader in the development of new use cases, requirements and NIST-compliant business Ethereum blockchains that will help advance your business goals and simplify future work with the U.S. Federal Government, for your company and others.
When: The Authority to Operate Working Group meets every two weeks, beginning on September 20, 2021.
How: Current EEA members should log into the Member Collaboration site and join the working group to receive future updates and meeting invitations. To offer topics/issues for the group to discuss, please visit the Group’s Github Repository. If you do not yet have access, please contact secretariat@entethalliance.org.
Interested in getting involved, but you’re not yet an EEA member? Find out more about EEA membership and how you can help reshape how the U.S. Federal Government interacts with Ethereum-based projects. Contact membership@entethalliance.org or visit https://entethalliance.org/become-a-member/.
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Author: Stuart Greig