Identity Management

The Laws and Flaws of Identity

Kim Cameron's Seven Laws of Identity

1. Technical identity systems must only reveal information identifying a user with the user’s consent.
2. The solution that discloses the least amount of identifying information and best limits its use is the most stable long-term solution.
3. Digital identity systems must be designed so the disclosure of identifying information is limited to parties having a necessary and justifiable place in a given identity relationship.
4. A universal identity system must support both “omni-directional” identifiers for use by public entities and “unidirectional” identifiers for use by private entities, thus facilitating discovery while preventing unnecessary release of correlation handles.
5. A universal identity system must channel and enable the inter-working of multiple identity technologies run by multiple identity providers.
6. The universal identity metasystem must define the human user to be a component of the distributed system integrated through unambiguous human-machine communication mechanisms offering protection against identity attacks.
7. The unifying identity metasystem must guarantee its users a simple, consistent experience while enabling separation of contexts through multiple operators and technologies.

And Mike Neuenschwander's Seven Flaws of Identity

1. Failure of the weakest links mustn't lead to catastrophe - encrypting the channel doesn't stop dumpster diving.
2. Not putting the role before the start role engineering is important, but it doesn't drive the project.
3. Not every identity nail requires the technology hammer - technology may be fine, but without governance, it will fail.
4. Use of a system invites abuse of it so test the architecture with attack vectors.
5. Identifying things doesn't make them more secure - identification can improve security, but it's not the inevitable outcome.
6. Identity isn't about the individual - it's about the relationship; identity management encompasses the services communities need for organization.
7. There are a lot more than seven flaws.

posted by Tejas Lagad @ 3:40 AM