Workshop on Security Procedures for the Interchange of Electronic Documents: Selected Papers and Results

A Workshop on Security Procedures for the Interchange of Electronic Documents, sponsored by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the Office of Management and Budget (0MB) , was held at NIST in Gaithersburg, Maryland, on November 12th and 13th, 1992. The impetus for the workshop and some of the issues that were planned for consideration are discussed in the Announcement paper included in this report.

The fundamental reason for the workshop was that rules for the use of security procedures needed to be devised for the electronic transmission of documents between organizations. This transmission process, usually utilizing electronic data interchange (EDI) standards, is being implemented to reduce paperwork, reduce response times between buyers and sellers, reduce requirements for inventory on-hand, reduce transcription errors, and allow for the computer-based filing and analysis of transmitted documents without the need for re-entry of the data. Applications include purchasing, regulatory and environmental reporting, customs and tariff filings, benefits management, and claims and disbursement information.