Communications of the ACM
Ietf Explores New Working Group on Identity Management in the Cloud
Jonathon Rosen
The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is considering approving the Simple Cloud Identity Management (SCIM) scheme, which manages user identity in cloud-based applications and is supported by security software vendors, as a working group and an industry standard.
SCIM's proponents say the protocol will make it easier for companies to control access to data stored in cloud-based applications. "It's a modern protocol and a way to share identities between cloud providers," says UnboundID's CEO Steve Shoaff.
SCIM could provide a standard way to move identity data from premises-based to cloud applications and from one cloud application to another. Supporters also expect a wave of security products and cloud applications to support SCIM 1.0 this year.
Gartner is backing SCIM and notes that it offers an automated method for provisioning and de-provisioning employees from cloud applications. "It appears that SCIM remains on track," says Gartner's Mark Diodati.
IETF also is working on OATH, a related Web authorization protocol designed to offer a single user authentication method for accessing both networks and cloud-based applications.
From Network World
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