NETWORK WORLD NEWSLETTER: DAVE KEARNS ON IDENTITY MANAGEMENT
08/01/05
Today's focus: What's the meaning of 'privacy'?
Dear security.world@gmail.com,
In this issue:
* Can we all agree on the meaning of 'identity', 'privacy' and
'personal'?
* Links related to Identity Management
* Featured reader resource
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Today's focus: What's the meaning of 'privacy'?
By Dave Kearns
In the past few issues, I've been talking about vendor offerings
in the identity management space. I'll get back to the
conversations I've recently had with vendors next week, but a
couple of things have popped up that - unless I deal with them
now - I'm liable to forget.
A couple of years ago, at the urging of Ed Harrington, chairman
of The Open Group's Directory Interoperability Forum, I spent a
few issues talking about the taxonomy of identity - the
meanings, usages and relationships of the terms we use. As I
said then, definitions of words can shift faster than a sand
dune in a windstorm.
The only way to quickly and efficiently move to where identity
management becomes a reality rather than a goal is to first
agree on the meaning of the terms we use to describe the reality
and those goals. A bit later, I was pleased to write that PingID
chairman and CEO Andre Durand had also tried to define a
taxonomy for identity management. His three tiers of identity
management: personal identity, corporate identity, and marketing
identity were remarkably similar in design, structure and
relationship to Harrington's hierarchy of identity, persona and
role. We kicked the terms around for a while, but no one took up
the challenge to create a standard taxonomy.
Last week, I read a lament by Timothy Grayson (he works for the
Canadian Postal Administration, but likes to talk about
identity) called "I guess I just don't understand Privacy"
<http://timothygrayson.com/blog/archives/000737.html>.
It seems that a Canadian Privacy Commissioner had ruled that
those sometimes annoying inserts that come along with your bank
statement amounts to a breach of the customer's privacy. Read
the whole entry by Grayson (and the articles he links to) as
it's much too long to re-create here. But I do like his
reasoning:
"To be an invasion of one's privacy presumes that all
communication and contact with a person has to be approved by
the recipient. The logical extent of this is that there can be
no communication because the initial mover is prevented from
moving. That logical extent is, of course, ridiculous. But what
it does present is bold relief of the inherently unworkable
nature of a 'privacy culture' that extends the definition of
privacy in this excessive, individual-centric way."
In other words, we need some generally understood definitions of
terms like "privacy," "identity," "personal information," etc.
How can we ever hope to move to a worldwide, federated,
everybody's-included identity metasystem if we can't even agree
on the meaning of "identity" and "privacy" and can't tell which
information is "personal" and what isn't?
The top 5: Today's most-read stories
1. Furor over Cisco IOS router exploit erupts at Black Hat
<http://www.networkworld.com/nldsv4107>
2. Cisco, ISS, Michael Lynn and Black Hat sign legal accord
<http://www.networkworld.com/nldsv4108>
3. Researcher at center of Cisco router-exploit controversy
speaks out <http://www.networkworld.com/nldsv4109>
4. 2005 Salary Survey <http://www.networkworld.com/nldsv3879>
5. Cisco nixes conference session on hacking IOS router code
<http://www.networkworld.com/nldsv4110>
_______________________________________________________________
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 Avocent
Network World Executive Guide: Reviewing Trends and Insights for
SMB Executives
Life is different for IT professionals at small and mid-sized
businesses, which don't have the luxury of hiring legions of
network experts. Read how network executives are keeping a firm
footing on an ever-shifting product landscape. Learn about
trends and insights surrounding VoIP and VPNs; plus get
commentaries from leading experts on storage strategies for
smaller businesses.
http://www.fattail.com/redir/redirect.asp?CID=109142
_______________________________________________________________
ARCHIVE LINKS
Archive of the Identity Management newsletter:
http://www.networkworld.com/newsletters/dir/index.html
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FEATURED READER RESOURCE
SIX TIPS FOR GETTING WHAT YOU DESERVE
Before you go in for your next annual review or promotion
interview, you would be wise to consider these tips for ensuring
you've got the right stuff to move ahead. Network executives
offer advice to help you gun for that next promotion and fatten
up your paycheck. Click here:
<http://www.networkworld.com/you/2005/072505-salary-side2.html>
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