OpenID (Radar post) got a big boost today when it gained support from Microsoft. Open-identity company JanRain, Dick Hardt’s Identity 2.0 company Sxip, and Verisign were also a part of the announcement.
As a part of the agreement, OpenID is going to focus more efforts on phishing (which they were already doing with the use of Personal Icons and SafeSignIn – Radar post). Microsoft will lend the assistance of Identity Architect Kim Cameron in this endeavor. Vista’s Identity Manager Cardspace will support OpenID and OpenID will support Cardspace’s Information cards. Also future Microsoft identity server products will support OpenID.
A set of infocards from MSDN
This is all great news. I wonder where it will lead us. Windows Live ID (formerly Passport) is still used on MSN and Live sites. Is this opening the door for OpenID on their sites? Yahoo! has allowed unofficial support, will Microsoft be the first big player to fully embrace OpenID on the web?
Here’s the official announcement
Microsoft to Work With the OpenID Community, Collaborating With JanRain, Sxip, and VeriSign
JanRain, Microsoft, Sxip, and VeriSign will collaborate on interoperability between OpenID and Windows CardSpace(TM) to make the Internet safer and easier to use. Specifically:
* As part of OpenID’s security architecture, OpenID will be extended to allow relying parties to explicitly request and be informed of the use of phishing-resistant credentials.
* Microsoft recognizes the growth of the OpenID community and believes OpenID plays a significant role in the Internet identity infrastructure. Kim Cameron, Chief Architect of Identity at Microsoft, will work with the OpenID community on authentication and anti-phishing.
* JanRain, Sxip, and VeriSign recognize that Information Cards provide significant anti-phishing, privacy, and convenience benefits to users. Information Cards, based on the open WS-Trust standard, are available though Windows CardSpaceâ„¢.
* JanRain and Sxip, leading providers of open source code libraries for blogging and web sites, are announcing they will add support for the Information Cards to their OpenID code bases.
* JanRain, Sxip and VeriSign plan to add Information Card support to future identity solutions.
* Microsoft plans to support OpenID in future Identity server products.The four companies have agreed to work together on a “Using Information Cards with OpenID” profile that will make it possible for other developers and service providers to take advantage of these technology advancements.
Kaliya Hamlin, Identity Woman, will be doing a session on User-centric Identity Systems (including OpenID) and David Recordon (Verisign) will give a session on Implementing OpenID at the Web 2.0 Expo this April. JanRain CEO Scott Kveton will be speaking on OpenID at next week’s IgniteSeattle.