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Executive Director’s Corner – November 2013

Welcome to the Executive Director’s Corner.  We verify Trusted ID systems actors, build markets, enable communities, influence stakeholders, and give our members competitive industry visibility.  We share one common goal: to collaborate to develop and operate services that build markets that enable use of high-value trusted identity credentials.
As Executive Director (ED) of Kantara Initiative, I get a full overview of the activities and achievements of the organization and our Members.  Here are some of the recent highlights.
Items of Interest

  • Members: Radiant Logic joined the Kantara Initiative Board of Trustees in November. Radiant Logic aligns strongly with the Identity Relationship Management Pillars to help drive “contextual identity” solutions. In 2013 the Kantara Initiative Board of Trustees doubled in size.
  • Federal Cloud Credential Exchange (FCCX): The US Government is launching an Identity Credential Exchange that is known as FCCX.  The USPS is the authority managing a contract for implementation and operations of this service that has been awarded to SecureKey – a member of Kantara Initiative.  Kantara Initiative is the premiere organization that will provide policy and technology interoperability verification for Identity Provider organizations who seek to be eligible to connect to FCCX. Kantara Initiative performs this function via its approval as a Trust Framework Provider for the US Federal Identity Credential Access Management (FICAM) team.
  • NSTIC: Kantara is working with NIST to produce a “NSTIC Pilots in Motion” industry day on January 30th in Washington DC hosted by the Department of Commerce. Kantara Initiative is participating in various roles in 5 of the National Strategy for Trusted Identity in Cyberspace (NSTIC) pilot initiatives. Kantara Initiative touches at least 5 of the NSTIC pilot activities further illustrating Kantara Initiative’s central role with in industry development. 
  • Assurance Approval Registered Applicants: TrustX has been accepted as a registered applicant signifying their progress working through Kantara Initiative Service Approval with US Federal Additional Criteria applied
  • In the Pipeline: There are 5 organizations in the pipeline for Kantara Initiative approval.
  • NSTIC: Katnara initiative is operationalizing its liaison with the Identity Ecosystem Steering Group in alignment with the NSTIC principles.
  • DirectTrust/EHNAC: Kantara Initiative leaders continue to develop a joint feasibility study toward recommendations focused on harmonization of certification / approval programs with in the Identity Management space.
  • NSTIC Resilient Network: Kantara Initiative Identity Assurance Work Group is advancing its role in the Resilient Network NSTIC pilot toward the development of assessment criteria in alignment with the Resilient Network architecture.
  • Workshops and Events: Event planning is under development for 2014 to create a field-marketing plan.  Events are being produced through July of 2014 including: RSA, EIC, NIST aligned Industry Roundtables, CIS and more…
  • Webinar: Kantara Initiative was pleased to participate in an IEEE-SA produced webinar focused on issues and benefits of Mobility.  The recording should be available soon.
  • Industry Events Participation: Kantara Initiative participated in the following events in October
    • Date: November
      What: Identity North
      Where: Vancouver, BC
      Who: Industry Workshop with Canadian and International stakeholders
    • Date: November
      What: TSCP Symposium
      Where: Washington DC
      Who: Kantara Initiative Executive Director

Newsworthy Items

  • November 26, 2013 – 2014 Events on the Horizon
    As we move to close 2013, we’re already excited by all of the opportunities for 2014.  Planning is underway on some exciting initiatives and great events for 2014!  A taste of the details is below. The following events are confirmed for 2014 NSTIC Pilots in Motion – Jan 30: This is a special event produced more…
  • November 21, 2013 – Snapshot: SAML IOP Past, Present, and Future
    Our guest blogger today is Kantara Member Rainer Hörbe. Rainer has been a contributor, architect and standards editor for the Austrian eGovernment federation. In the European cross-border eHealth federation project epSOS he served as security policy adviser.  As a Member of Kantara Initiative, OASIS, and ISO SC27 he is engaged in developing models and standards more…

Upcoming Meetings/Events

  • Date: Dec 9-13
    What: OECD ITAC
    Where: Paris, France
    Who: Nat Sakimura