Identity – Future directions“The last three feet”

JISC Future Directions Event, June 2008

David Orrell, Eduserv Foundationdavid.orrell@eduserv.org.uk

http://www.eduserv.org.uk/foundation

Identity 2.0

“In Identity 2.0, usage of identity more closely resembles today's offline identity systems, but

with the advantages of a digital medium.”

The Burton Group

Inconsistent

Confusing

Leaves door open to identity theft/phishing

Inconsistent

Confusing

Leaves door open to identity theft/phishing

...but, on the whole, it works!

“OpenID lowers user frustration by letting users have control of

their login.”openid.net

http://dno.myopenid.com

http://davidorrell.net

=david.orrell

OpenID is an ‘identity network’

No one provider holds the key Users choose who holds their identity

Technology is open Built on existing web technologies

Do users really care?

Why change from email address + password when it works for me?

Information Cards, CardSpace, Identity Metasystem, and all that…

“Now, with the debut of the InfoCard identity management system, Microsoft is leading a network-wide effort to address the [phishing] issue. To those of us long skeptical of the technology giant's intentions, the plan seems too good to be true. Yet the solution is not only right, it could be the most important contribution to Internet security since cryptography.”

Lawrence Lessig, Wired Magazine, March 2006.

Personal cards:Self-asserted claims

Managed cards:‘Trusted’ claims, asserted by identity provider

Human is integrated into login process

Which is…Consistent between sitesPersonal to individual

Requires identity selector to be installed

Little, if any, current support for mobile devices

Cards are not easily portable

Future directions?

Clear, unambiguous messages

Consistency through browser support?

david.orrell@eduserv.org.uk

http://www.eduserv.org.uk/foundation