Open System of Online Identity Sign-Up Launched

The Liberty Alliance Project has made available the first set of open federated network identity specifications. Set up to challenge the hegemony of Microsoft's Passport system, the Alliance released version 1.0 specifications this week, a product of a cross-industry consortium formed less than a year ago.
As the first step in enabling an open federated network identity solution, Liberty focus on interoperability between systems to enable opt-in account linking and simplified sign-on functionality. This allows users to decide whether to link accounts with various identity providers and makes it easier for both consumers and businesses to take advantage of the growing Web services space.

The specifications do not involve the exchange of personal information. Instead, they involve a format for exchanging authentication information between companies so the identity of the user is safe, and specific details about the customer's identity are not shared. Users may choose which accounts they want to link, and may maintain separate identities in different locations while still benefiting from a seamless sign-on experience.

The specifications allow businesses to connect heterogeneous systems in order to handle identification and authorisation in a more efficient and controlled manner. The Alliance claim that this will be paramount in managing the growing number and types of transactions on the Internet today and in the future. It is also crucial to the integration of legacy systems and emerging technologies.

As an example, a group of travel industry organisations implementing the Liberty specifications could enable their customers to move from website-to-website without re-authenticating their identity. They could then browse and book the best airline fares, reserve a hotel room, book a rental car and sign-up for a tour, ultimately planning an entire vacation in less time, with less hassle, than previously possible.

The specifications provide the following specific functionality:

* Opt-in account linking - Users can choose to link accounts they have with different service providers within 'circles of trust' (such as companies with existing business agreements or affinity programs).

* Simplified sign-on for linked accounts - Once a user's accounts are federated, they can log in and authenticate at one linked account and navigate to another linked account, without having to log in again.

* Authentication context - Institutions or companies linking accounts can communicate the type of authentication that should be used when the user logs in.

* Global log-out - Once a user logs out of the site where they initially logged in, the user can be automatically logged out of all of the other sites the user linked to and still maintain a live session.

As a demonstration of their commitment to the system, several member companies concurrently announced plans to deliver Liberty-enabled products and services. These vendors include Novell, RSA Security and Sun Microsystems. The first products are expected to be available by end of 2002.

Any commercial or non-commercial organization can now download the specifications free of charge via the Liberty Alliance website.

The Alliance also released details on its next set of identity specifications already in development. It has committed to developing and introducing its specifications in a phased approach to promote easy, flexible and rapid adoption by both members and non-members.

Associated Link: Further details

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