* Copied (from: EDGE_ONLINE) by Steve Asher using timEd/2 1.10.y2k+.


IBM calls for global identity management solution

ZDNet Asia

International standards backed up by a UN body are needed to clear 
up the international identity-verification mess, according to a senior
IBM Global Services executive

The growing need for fast, accurate verification of personal
identities has prompted a call from an industry observer for a global
agency to set international standards.

The realm of identity and access management (IAM) is heating up as
nations like the UK and the US increase their use of biometrics and
other identifying technology in ID cards, border controls and other
areas.

Beyond different governments "trying to create a mosaic for what they
want as good identity management", wider international cooperation is
needed to establish a common language and standards, said Cal Slemp,
vice-president and global leader for security and privacy services at
IBM Global Services. The common language for exchanging user access
information is also known as federated IAM.

"Governments have a huge part to play in this, because they have
ultimate responsibility for their citizens, and depending on the
country, they may have ultimate responsibility for the businesses 
and e-commerce as well," Slemp said.

But, current efforts are piecemeal and much more can be done to
exploit the potential of the federated environment, added Slemp.
During a medical emergency, for instance, the identities of a 
foreign doctor and a visiting patient need to be established quickly 
and accurately, in order for the right healthcare to be administered.

What's missing right now, he noted, is a trusted third party 
to authenticate trustworthiness. "So we've got inconsistent 
and incomplete implementation [in individual countries], and 
also no standard approach to the future nor a target to shoot 
at."

Slemp believes that now is the right time to establish a global body
that will consider the interests of all countries and build up a
foundation, which the individual countries can expand upon to fulfil
their unique requirements.

"There are organisations that work together on this issue and issues
like that across borders all the time, and it can be as grandiose as
to say the UN has a process in place to share information like that
and create working groups to try and to create standards or
expectations and across multiple jurisdictions," said Slemp. 
"I just don't know what the name would be."

Copyright (c) 2005 CNET Networks, Inc. All Rights Reserved.

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Cheers, Steve..

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