 Identity ManagementThis newsletter is sponsored by NokiaNetwork World's Identity Management Newsletter, 06/06/07Converging on authenticationBy Dave KearnsLast time out we were talking about how the identity discussion in the late nineties was moving beyond authentication to the many wonderful things we could do with identity. But, as I mentioned, three things converged pushing authentication – as the keystone of all identity-based transactions – back into the forefront where it still can be seen to dominate identity discussions. In 1996, the U.S. congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) whose primary goal was to allow folks to move their health insurance coverage with them as they changed jobs. It also made provisions for electronically moving health and medical data around, but this wasn’t talked about much (outside of medical circles, that is) for a few years. In 1999, the U.S. congress passed the Gramm-Leach-Bliley act which allowed the merger of financial institutions. But among its provisions were controls on the collection, protection and dispersal of client’s personal information. Finally, in 2002, the U.S. Congress passed the Sarbanes-Oxley bill, setting new standards for accounting and auditability of corporate financial records. In part, this mandated active approval (called “attestation”) of employees’ access to financially important data. All three of these legislative acts (along with others both in the U.S. and around the world) are lumped under the rubric “Regulatory Compliance” and require almost failsafe authentication of users.
In September of 2001, in reaction to the Microsoft announcement of the “Hailstorm” initiative, Sun, some of its partners and some of its major clients in travel, entertainment, finance and retail got together to launch what was supposed to be temporarily called the “Liberty Alliance.” Thus was launched the identity federation market which was really all about Web-based single/simplified sign-on (SSO) – just another phrase meaning “authentication.” Unfortunately for the Liberty Alliance, other events in September, 2001 overshadowed its birth. The 9/11 tragedy unleashed an epidemic of security measures all designed to show that the government was "Doing Something" to protect its citizens. And, fortunately or unfortunately for us, that “something” almost always involved identity and authentication – from the infamous “no fly” lists to the misnamed Real ID Act. Government regulation, Web site ease of usability and misplaced security measures all converged at the start of the 21st century to elevate authentication to a higher level of discussion than ever before. Not only were network managers, e-mail administrators and directory junkies talking about it, but bureaucrats, marketing people and average folks-in-the-street became engaged in the authentication discussion. This produced much smoke (or fog) without any real advancement in the technology. But it has kept us from moving on to other, more interesting, aspects of identity. Perhaps it is time to move the discussion along, but each of us must play a part in doing that if we feel the time is right. Events: My plea last week for an “Identity Faire” has gotten some traction (both good and bad). Mark Macauley, Jackson Shaw and Kaliya Hamlin have each blogged their thoughts. I’d like to hear yours, also.
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| Contact the author: 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. Kearns is the author of two Network World Newsletters: Windows Networking Strategies, and Identity Management. Comments about these newsletters should be sent to him at these respective addresses: windows@vquill.com, 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. This newsletter is sponsored by NokiaARCHIVEArchive of the Identity Management Newsletter. BONUS FEATUREIT PRODUCT RESEARCH AT YOUR FINGERTIPS Get detailed information on thousands of products, conduct side-by-side comparisons and read product test and review results with Network World’s IT Buyer’s Guides. Find the best solution faster than ever with over 100 distinct categories across the security, storage, management, wireless, infrastructure and convergence markets. Click here for details. PRINT SUBSCRIPTIONS AVAILABLE International subscribers, click here. SUBSCRIPTION SERVICESTo subscribe or unsubscribe to any Network World newsletter, change your e-mail address or contact us, click here. This message was sent to: security.world@gmail.com. Please use this address when modifying your subscription. Advertising information: Write to Associate Publisher Online Susan Cardoza Network World, Inc., 118 Turnpike Road, Southborough, MA 01772 Copyright Network World, Inc., 2007  |
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