S/MIME Mail Security
charter-ietf-smime-05

The S/MIME Working Group has completed a series of Proposed Standards
that comprise the S/MIME version 3.1 specification. As part of the
specification update, a new suite of "mandatory to implement"
algorithms
was be selected. Current efforts update and build upon these base
specifications.

The Cryptographic Message Syntax (CMS) (RFC 3852) is cryptographic
algorithm independent, yet there is always more than one way to use any
algorithm. To ensure interoperability, each algorithm should have a
specification that describes its use with CMS. Specifications for the
use of additional cryptographic algorithms will be developed.

CMS, as well as S/MIME version 3 and later, permit the use of
previously
distributed symmetric key-encryption keys. Specifications for the
distribution of symmetric key-encryption keys to multiple message
recipients will be developed. Mail List Agents (MLAs) are one use of
symmetric key-encryption keys. The specification will be algorithm
independent.

To aid initial determination of recipient's cryptographic capabilities
a
specification will be developed allowing S/MIME capabilities to be
stored and asserted in X.509 certificates based on the X.509
certificate
and CRL profile developed by the PKIX Working Group.

The working group will perform necessary interoperability testing to
progress the CMS and S/MIME specifications to Draft Standard. The CMS
specification depends on the RFC 3280, which was developed by the PKIX
working group. This profile must progress to Draft Standard before CMS
and the other S/MIME specifications can progress to Draft Standard.
Assuming timely progress by the PKIX Working Group, the S/MIME
specification can start progressing to Draft Standard in 2005.