ADVISORY/OASIS and W3C Cosponsor Forum on Security Standards for Web Services; XML Web Services One Conference to Showcase Security Standards.

Business Editors

ADVISORY...for August 26 (Monday)

BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 7, 2002

The OASIS standards organization and the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) will cosponsor the Forum on Security Standards for Web Services on 26 August 2002, as part of the XML Web Services One conference in Boston. The program will provide an overview of the Web services security work currently being accomplished at W3C, OASIS, and other standards groups.

"For years, W3C has been at work on the foundation technologies for the Web, and the subset now labeled `Web Services,'" explained Daniel J. Weitzner, W3C's Technology and Society Domain Leader. "Now as people are looking at the upper layers, we want to make sure these pieces work together as smoothly. This Forum provides an excellent opportunity for groups like OASIS and W3C to show users what's out there, and listen to end user and expert perspectives."

The Forum on Security Standards for Web Services will explore the status and relationship of key specifications including XML Signature (XML-SIG), XML Key Management Specification (XKMS), XML Encryption (Xenc), the developing model for Web Services Architecture and the security segment from W3C, as well as the Security Authorization Markup Language (SAML), WS-Security, and standards for access control, provisioning, biometrics and digital rights from OASIS.

"People are very much aware that security standards are critical for Web services, but there are a lot of questions about who is doing what and how the pieces fit together," commented Karl Best, director of technical operations for OASIS. "W3C and OASIS are coming together to host this forum in order to give the community a better understanding of the relationship between security standards and shed light on connects, disconnects, overlaps, and gaps."

The Forum will feature speakers from providers and users of Web services security standards including Boeing, Lexis/Nexis, Sun Microsystems, Verisign, and the US Federal Government. In addition to representatives from W3C and OASIS, experts from other security efforts including Liberty Alliance will also be participating.

Additional details and registration information can be found at http://www.xmlconference.com/boston/key.asp.

About W3C

The W3C was created to lead the Web to its full potential by developing common protocols that promote its evolution and ensure its interoperability. It is an international industry consortium jointly run by the MIT Laboratory for Computer Science (MIT LCS) in the USA, the National Institute for Research in Computer Science and Control (INRIA) in France and Keio University in Japan. Services provided by the Consortium include: a repository of information about the World Wide Web for developers and users, and various prototype and sample applications to demonstrate use of new technology. To date, nearly 500 organizations are Members of the Consortium. For more information see http://www.w3.org/.

About OASIS

OASIS (Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards) is a not-for-profit, global consortium that drives the development, convergence and adoption of e-business standards. Members themselves set the OASIS technical agenda, using a lightweight, open process expressly designed to promote industry consensus and unite disparate efforts. OASIS produces worldwide standards for security, Web services, XML conformance, business transactions, electronic publishing, topic maps and interoperability within and between marketplaces. For more information see http://www.oasis-open.org.