Understanding OpenID and CardSpace | InfoWorld [Video]

OpenID and CardSpace are at the forefront of user-centric identity. Here’s how they work

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User-centric identity, which puts users at the center of identity transactions, is fast capturing the attention of the Web-minded world. In fact, many traditional organizations are looking to blend user-centric technologies with traditional identity solutions in pursuit of federation.

Here’s how user-centric identity works. Each transaction involves three actors: the user, the IdP (identity provider), and the RP (relying party). When the user needs to transact business with the RP, the RP asks for an identity credential. The user selects which credential to use and informs the credential-issuing IdP of the pending transaction. The IdP then sends a trustworthy message to the RP that the user is entitled to the credential he or she has selected.

Two technologies are at the forefront of this movement: CardSpace and OpenID. The two systems differ in their approach to …