Web Services and XML technologies are changing how people conduct business electronically and significantly improving enterprise efficiency. These technologies are gaining ground and their momentum will continue to increase over the next several years. Unfortunately, as with many technologies, good security has not been part of the initial release.

The security community has taken a great interest in Web Services technology as the amount of transaction processing has increased. The increasing challenge for the users of new technologies is to wait for the time when Web Services are as secure as the other components to protect against security threats such as disclosure of sensitive information.

A number of proposed standards such as: WS-Security, Security Assertion Markup Language (SAML), eXtensable Access Control Markup Language (XACML), eXtensable rules Markup Language (XrML), eXtensable Key Management System (XKMS), and Electronic Business Extensible Markup Language (ebXML) Security are emerging to fill the security gap. Also being considered are XML encryption and XML signature. Efforts to secure Simple Object Access Protocol (SOAP) messaging and secure IBM Universal Description, Discovery and Integration (UDDI) management are also ongoing.

This workshop will focus on the relationship between Web Services and security, how the technology is being implemented and utilized to encode information from data obtained from local and remote computers today, and the need to facilitate the research and development of the next generation of secure Web Services. Discussion may also cover the issue of interoperability especially between evolving specifications at different stages of maturity and competing specifications for the same functionality and some case studies involving Web Services implementations using .Net Framework and/or Java Platforms.

Previous participants have agreed that past workshops have provided a useful and exciting forum for members of the standards and software development worlds to exchange ideas, opinions, and concerns. Due to community interest in Web Services (and the rapidly evolving specifications and technologies), this year's workshop should generate much discussion.

Pre-registration is requested, although there is no charge for the workshop. Position papers are encouraged. To register, contact Harvey Rubinovitz, Workshop Chair, The MITRE Corporation, M/S S145, 202 Burlington Road, Bedford, Massachusetts 01730; (781) 271-3076; hhr@mitre.org. There is an optional lunch for $25. If you are interested in lunch, please mark the proper location on the registration form.