Putting identity into context

NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: DAVE KEARNS ON IDENTITY MANAGEMENT
06/15/05
Today's focus: Putting identity into context

Dear security.world@gmail.com,

In this issue:

* Different definitions of context
* Links related to Identity Management
* Featured reader resource
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Oracle
SAN and SMP, Pooling or Provisioning - what does it all mean?

Find out with the Oracle Grid Computing Glossary! Like any
technology, grid computing is made up of a specialized set of
terms and acronyms. This comprehensive glossary provides a
definition of important grid-related terms.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=106739
_______________________________________________________________
THE HOMEOWNER'S GUIDE

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_______________________________________________________________

Today's focus: Putting identity into context

By Dave Kearns

Last week's newsletter about context ("Explaining the importance
of context in ID mgmt.") elicited responses from a number of
readers. A few readers - especially those who disagreed - appear
to have a different definition of context. That's not really
surprising, as some people whose job is designing identity
architectures and services also appear to have a different
definition than mine. I'd like to use an example that one reader
submitted (Thanks, Paul) to try to further explain this. The
example:

"I walk into a book store for the first time, and look for a
book to purchase. To the owner, my identity is simply 'a
customer.'

I select and bring a book to the counter. My identity is now
modified to 'a customer making a purchase.' This gains me
closer, and likely friendlier attention from the owner.

If I make my purchase using coin of the realm, my identity
remains as 'a customer making a purchase.' I do not have an
absolute identity, just one that categorizes me as completing a
transaction, a member of a group identity.

If I purchase using my credit card, the situation changes. A
degree of trust, beyond that needed of a paying customer, must
be determined. The card is validated, and possibly additional
identity documents requested to verify that I am the authorized
holder of the credit card. After that verification has satisfied
the shop owner, the credit card is used to complete the
transaction.

After purchasing the book, and walking out of the shop, my
identity, unless something occurred that caused a reason for
remembering me, my identity changes again to a group identity -
a satisfied customer who may return, and who purchased a book."

The problem, as I see it, is that the "identity" hasn't changed
at all. The richness of the description has changed, but the
person who enters the bookstore as "a customer" is still "a
customer" when they leave. But when they leave, a number of
different attributes have been added to the identity: a buyer,
perhaps a credit-card buyer. The venue (the bookstore) also
knows the book(s) the customer bought and can tie them to
inventory or even to that particular customer for future
reference.

Now Paul, my reader, does go on to explain: "The context - what
we are trying to do, how, when and where we are doing it, all
serve to modify our 'identity.' We present a different
'persona,' or subset of our core identity, for each activity we
do in life." That's closer to my thinking, but the customer in
the example is still a customer in a different venue - grocery
store, auto dealership, ticket agency, etc. "Customer" or
"buyer," then, is simply just an attribute of this identity.

But suppose that this customer uses this bookstore to purchase
leisure reading material as well as work-related texts. Let's
call the customer "Bob." Bob is the universal identity. "Work
Bob" and "Leisure Bob" are differing personas of Bob. When Bob
buys a book, the venue of the transaction is the bookstore. But
both Work Bob and Leisure Bob buy books at that venue. So the
context in which the identity Bob exists needs to include both
the current persona as well as the current venue. That is, the
context is Work Bob at Border Books. But "Bob," the identity,
hasn't changed at all.
_______________________________________________________________
To contact: Dave Kearns

Dave Kearns is a writer and consultant in Silicon Valley. He's
written a number of books including the (sadly) now out of print
"Peter Norton's Complete Guide to Networks." His musings can be
found at Virtual Quill <http://www.vquill.com/>.

Kearns is the author of three Network World Newsletters: Windows
Networking Tips, Novell NetWare Tips, and Identity Management.
Comments about these newsletters should be sent to him at these

respective addresses: <mailto:windows@vquill.com>,
<mailto:netware@vquill.com>, <mailto:identity@vquill.com>.

Kearns provides content services to network vendors: books,
manuals, white papers, lectures and seminars, marketing,
technical marketing and support documents. Virtual Quill
provides "words to sell by..." Find out more by e-mail at
<mailto:info@vquill.com>
_______________________________________________________________
This newsletter is sponsored by Oracle
SAN and SMP, Pooling or Provisioning - what does it all mean?

Find out with the Oracle Grid Computing Glossary! Like any
technology, grid computing is made up of a specialized set of
terms and acronyms. This comprehensive glossary provides a
definition of important grid-related terms.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=106739
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS

Archive of the Identity Management newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/dir/index.html
_______________________________________________________________
Fischer International

Gartner & Fischer: Leveraging the Future of Identity Management
and Compliance Gartner VP Roberta Witty and Fischer
International CTO Steve Tillery chart the future of Identity
Management and Compliance. What should every business do in
2005? What initiatives should be put on the back burner? What
technologies will finally simplify compliance and reduce cost?
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=106249
_______________________________________________________________
FEATURED READER RESOURCE
VoIP SECURITY

For the latest in VoIP security, check out NW's Research Center
on this very topic. Here you will find a collection of the
latest news, reviews, product testing results and more all
related to keeping VoIP networks secure. Click here for more:
<http://www.networkworld.com/topics/voip-security.html>
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