About The IWG

The Interpretations Working Group (IWG) was the body chartered under the TPEP process with improving the timeliness and quality of guidance concerning current technical and process issues in TPEP evaluations.

The IWG met periodically (6-8 times/year) and performed two main functions:
 

1. The IWG reviewed and responded to all issues raised on the various forum meetings used to discuss evaluation issues and decisions. This review included both the external (Criteria_Discussion) forum meeting and forum meetings internal to the evaluation community.  The responses were intended to provide both guidance on the issue and a rationale for the guidance, including its relationship to similar issues.
2. The IWG developed specific Interpretations of the TCSEC requirements through a process of drafting, internal and external review, and approval by TPEP management.  Once approved, these Interpretations were published periodically by TPEP as "The Interpreted TCSEC Requirements".  These Interpretations were based both on recently-raised issues and on the IWG's review of historical discussions; the IWG selected topics for developing Interpretations based both on the urgency of the topic and the feasibility of developing a concise interpretation for the issue.

With the evolution of the CC and the termination of TPEP, the IWG was transitioned into the NIAP Interpretations Board (NIB).