Below is a call for participation sent to the Kantara community@ list by Ari Kermaier, co-chair of the Interoperability Review Board. Please feel free to pass this note on to colleagues or friends who may be interested.

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The Kantara Initiative is expanding its focus beyond SAML 2.0 and is working to cultivate and manage new certification programs covering a broad spectrum of developing identity and access protocols. Some of the emerging standards currently under consideration for testing are:

- WS–Trust
- WS–Security
- OpenID
- InfoCard
- Oauth
- XRD

To support the development of the new test procedures needed for this program, the Kantara Initiative is announcing the formation of the Kantara Initiative Interoperability Work Group (IOPWG) – chartered to support the Kantara Initiative Interoperability Program through the development of Test Procedures to be used by the Interoperability Review Board, regardless of protocol. The IOPWG will work closely with the Interoperability Review Board (IRB), the Kantara Initiative sub-committee responsible for member oversight of the Interoperability Program.

In addition, the IOPWG will be available to provide expertise and technical support to the IRB during the course of any of the Kantara Initiative Interoperability events, and will assist in resolving questions of protocol interpretation that may arise among test participants.

If you’d like to get involved in the Kantara Initiative Interoperability Program to recommend test procedures for such emerging standards as WS–Trust, WS–Security. OpenID, InfoCard, Oauth and XRD, the IOPWG is the group for you!

For more information on the Interoperability Workgroup, please visit the IOPWG home page at http://kantarainitiative.org/confluence/display/iopwg to see:

- The Charter
- Mail list and Archives
- Designated IPR Policy options for operation
- “Join this Group” Button

ANYONE may participate in a Kantara Initiative Work Group. If you or your colleagues would like to join this group, you will simply need to complete the Group Participation Agreement here:
http://signup.kantarainitiative.org/?selectedGroup=23

(NOTE: joining Kantara Initiative as a Member does not automatically enroll you as a Participant in any particular WG or DG–you must specifically join those groups in which you choose to participate):

Of course, if you encounter any problems on our Website, the Kantara Initiative Staff is always happy to assist! If you have any questions about the Kantara Initiative or how to get involved please don’t hesitate to send us a message (support[at]kantarainitiative[dot]org) or use our contact form here: http://kantarainitiative.org/confluence/display/GI/Contact+Us

Please join us in congratulating the IOPWG on its formation!

Regards,

Ari

Frank Villavicencio, Kantara Initiative’s Identity Assurance Work Group (IAWG) chair, has posted a very interesting 2 part blog article called “Identity Assurance, an everyday life issue”. In this 2 part series of articles Frank provides an excellent overview of Identity Assurance concepts as well as examples of how Identity Assurance applies to everyday life experiences. The intro to the articles is copied below and the full series can be read from the links provided.

Read the full articles:
Part 1
Part 2

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Introduction

The notion of identity assurance is to establish, with a level of certainty, that the human being represented by a credential in an electronic transaction is in fact the alleged person. Whether you realize it or not, whenever you perform an electronic transaction, you are making some kind identity assurance tradeoff.

Identity assurance does not only apply to scenarios in the extranet in which consumers or users from one organization interact with systems in another. It also applies within the enterprise where you need to view identity lifecycle management holistically, as opposed to fragmented steps, such as provisioning, authentication, single sign-on, etc.; and how they contribute to creating and maintaining identity assurance.
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Thanks for the great articles Frank!

Congratulations to John Fraser of MEDNETWorld.com, Rick Moore of eHealth Ohio & Pete Palmer of Surescripts.  All three gentlemen will continue to serve this year as co-leading chairs for Kantara Initiative’s Healthcare Identity Assurance WG.   Previously, John, Rick and Pete led Liberty Alliance’s Healthcare SIG.

We look forward to more great work to come out of the Healthcare Identity Assurance WG in 2010 and encourage you to become involved.

Diverse Market Leaders from the Identity Ecosystem Converge to Stage Kantara Initiative’s RSA Security Pre-Conference Workshop on “Technology, Policy and Compliance for Identity Services in 2010 and Beyond”

Gain State-of-Identity Insight of common Cloud/SaaS scenarios and recent developments in assurance, multi-protocol interoperability, privacy-enablement and more from Enterprise and Consumer Market Leaders.

Piscataway, NJ, 8 February 2010 Kantara Initiative announced today its annual public Identity Workshop at the RSA Security Conference. The one-day event to be held on March 1st from 8:00am- 5:00pm in the Moscone Center in San Francisco is designed to equip attendees with the vital information required to ensure success in employing the right identity management approach with the proper considerations. Recent developments in identity assurance, multi-protocol interoperability, liability models, usability, privacy-enablement and identity services certification will be spotlighted by key market leaders including Google, Oracle, CA, Aetna, NTT and Ping Identity.

“If you run a login system of any type (Enterprise, Consumer, SaaS vendor) you will find this workshop to be packed with information about major changes in the space, both in terms of security design and new functionality that can improve your identity infrastructure,” reveals Eric Sachs, Product Manager for Google Security.

“Since its inception nearly one year ago, Kantara Initiative has built momentum for service deployment across the identity ecosystem,” says Roger Sullivan, Oracle. “This workshop will help deployers understand how to connect the dots between cloud computing and identity management”.

“Identity protocols like SAML, OpenID, OAuth, and Information Cards continue to evolve,” says Paul Madsen, Identity Management Researcher at NTT. “This workshop will discuss recent developments, and present opportunities for combining the protocols in useful ways.”

“Identity Assurance is the key to successful, secure transactions across the emerging National Health Information Network, “ explains Mark Coderre, Head of Security Architecture for Aetna. “At this workshop we will be showcasing what the healthcare industry is doing with Kantara Initiative programs to improve the security of sensitive data transactions across operational boundaries.”

The identity workshop will feature a series of presentations, panels and demonstrations of common Cloud/SaaS deployment scenarios and innovations from various market leaders.

Technology, Policy and Compliance for identity Services in 2010 & Beyond is open to the public and to all RSA Conference attendees. To register for this free Kantara Initiative workshop, please click http://www.emc.com/microsites/rsa-conference/2010/usa/registration-and-rates.htm and use the code: 131 0KANEXPO for the Expo only pass and select Kantara Initiative from the ‘Registration Package’ page. Note that this pass only allows access to the Kantara Initiative workshop on March 1.

About Kantara Initiative

Kantara Initiative is a global, open, public-private, technology-agnostic forum comprised of identity ecosystem stakeholders. Co-founded by Liberty Alliance, Internet Society, and the Information Card Foundation, among others, its inspired mission is to promote technical interoperability and harmonization; to develop policy frameworks for operational interoperability and; to provide certification and assessment programs to grow trust in the standards, products, and service deployments. Kantara Initiative freely provides the governance and resources whereby diverse members of the ecosystem successfully collaborate on a diverse portfolio of common policy frameworks, technical specifications and deployment guidelines driven by the identity community, industry and governments from around the world. For more information about getting involved in Kantara Initiative, visit www.kantarainitiative.org.

Media Contact

Michelle Hunt

Kantara Initiative

Michelle.Hunt@ieee-isto.org

(732) 981.3434 (o)

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We’re happy to announce the continued leadership of Philippe Clement as Kantara Initiative’s Identity Provider Selection Working Group Chair.  Philippe works at Orange-FT Group and has been involved with Kantara Initiative since it’s inception as Chair of the Identity Provider Selection WG.  In previous years, Philippe actively worked with the Business Marketing Expert Group (BMEG) to move the work of IdP Selection MRD forward.

We congratulate Philippe with his ongoing leadership and look forward to more great work coming from the Identity Provider Selection WG this year.

Organization: Kantara Initiative
Job Title: Executive Director
Job Type: Full Time Contractor

Date Posted: February 6, 2010
To Apply: Send a cover letter and resume to ksearch@elists.isoc.org

Description:

The Executive Director (ED) of the Kantara Initiative is responsible for the successful operation of the organization, including aspects of Operations, Strategy, Business Development, Member Relations, and Marketing. This includes the cultivation of strategic relationships and member recruitment as well as personnel management, all conducted internationally. Additionally, the ED shall perform other activities as required by the Board of Trustees that are commensurate with the duties customarily provided by an Executive Director.

The ED shall be appointed in accordance with the Kantara Initiative Bylaws, report to the Board of Trustees, and operate under guidance provided by the Leadership Council. All permanent Kantara Initiative staff will report directly to the ED, with the reporting relationship of paid contractors depending on the particulars of the project.

The ED position is for a full-time contractor. The Kantara Initiative is flexible regarding work location given the highly distributed and global nature of the organization U.S. residency is not a requirement. In support of the organization’s mission, the ED is expected to travel regularly, both domestically as well as internationally.

Primary Roles & Responsibilities Include:

• Administrative & Infrastructure Operations
  • Oversee the daily operation of the organization according to the Bylaws and Operating Procedures.
  • Work with the Board of Trustees, Leadership Council, and key personnel to formulate and execute on the organization’s strategy, goals, objectives and future vision.
  • Continually improve the operational efficiency and financial viability of the organization.
  • Develop an annual budget in collaboration with the Treasurer, Officers, Board of Trustees, and Leadership Council.

• Group / Program Support
  • Participate in Executive Committee, Leadership Council and Board of Trustees meetings, providing periodic reports on all principle activities such as the Assurance Review Board (ARB), Interoperability Review Board (IRB) and other certification programs.
  • Help organize and lead Kantara Initiative conferences and workshops, seeking and collaborating with co-sponsors as necessary.
  • Continually work to accelerate awareness and adoption of Kantara Initiative Recommendations.
  • Develop, implement, and maintain a forward-looking roadmap for Kantara Initiative that covers key milestones for the organization for a period specified by the Kantara Officers.

• External Liaison / Representation
  • Act as a visible and accessible representative for Kantara Initiative, effectively representing the organization, its programs, work groups, and discussion groups.
  • Actively participate in and present at Industry events, representing the Kantara Initiaive perspectives, goals and activities.
  • Help coordinate activities and projects with other industry consortia, standards bodies, or professional organizations. Act as an executive liaison to other organizations.
  • Help coordinate marketing and other outreach activities to spread the Kantara Initiative perspectives.
  • React quickly to help orchestrate response to Industry news and events that would benefit from Kantara involvement.

• Membership Growth / Evangelism
  • Recruit organizations to join Kantara Initiative as paying Members, especially at the Board of Trustees level, and encourage active participation across all levels.
  • Identify and drive programs that deliver on the Kantara Initiative mission, expand the organization’s financial viability, and increase the benefit of membership.
  • Continually work to expand Kantara Initiative Membership on all levels, increase participation within existing Members, and improve working relationships with other organizations.

For Reference:

• Kantara Initiative Overview
• Kantara Initiative Bylaws
• Kantara Initiative Operating Procedures

Requisite Skills & Experience:

The successful candidate for the position of Kantara Initiative Executive Director will need to have proven successful experience managing a distributed organization, including budget responsibilities, preferably within a technology intensive area. This includes the skills required to build, manage, and otherwise develop an effective team, including contractors, required to support the operational needs of an international organization.

In addition to the operational aspects of the position, the ED will be required to interact appropriately with member companies, government officials, individual contributors, partner organizations, press, and industry analysts. As such, the successful candidate will be required to demonstrate an ability to act diplomatically and respectfully. A key skill of the successful candidate will be the ability to facilitate the building of consensus across stakeholders with distinctly varying points of view. The candidate will also need to have experience speaking in public and be able to react effectively to press inquiries.

Kantara Initiative is a technical organization supporting the development of open standards and related best practices and policies. As such, the successful candidate will need to display an understanding of the interplay between technologies within various standards organizations and their deployers. While the successful candidate is not required to be fluent in the details within the identity industry to be considered, proven experience dealing with similar issues will be required.

The successful candidate for the ED position must have experience:

• Managing distributed operational and technical teams.
• Developing and managing against a budget.
• Working with international entities.
• Public speaking and general diplomacy.
• Designing and executing marketing campaigns.
• Working with Internet-related issues, technologies, and businesses.
• Speaking fluent English in business settings.

The successful candidate for the ED position should have an understanding of:

• Building successful international business relationships.
• Standards development organizations and their processes.
• Technology development and adoption phases.
• Internet technologies.
• Trends within the Internet and security markets.
• How to effectively work with business and government partners.

The successful candidate for the ED position would benefit from experience:

• Working for a not-for-profit organization.
• Working in more than one country.
• Speaking languages in addition to English.
• Chairing long-running, highly distributed, volunteer committees.
• Working with one or more of the following: SAML, OpenID, IMI, OAuth, SSL/TLS

For more information or to apply for the position, please send email to: ksearch@elists.isoc.org

This job description is also available in PDF format for your convenience.

FuGen Solutions joins Kantara Initiative’s annual identity workshop at the RSA Conference, March 1, 2010, 8am-5pm.  NTT, Ping Identity and the U.S. Government showcase demonstration pods alongside FuGen Solutions.  Join us for a series of presentations, panels & demonstrations of common Cloud/SaaS scenarios from diverse market leaders.

Register now for our free workshop using the code: 1310KANEXPO for the Expo only pass and select Kantara Initiative from the ‘Registration Package’ page. This pass only allows access to Kantara Initiative workshop on March 1. Read details about the Conference events March 1-5.

Title: Technology, Policy, and Compliance for Identity Services in 2010 & Beyond

What: Kantara Initiative’s RSA Security Pre-Conference Workshop

When: Monday, March 1, 2010, 8:00am-5:00pm, Room 301

Where: Moscone Center, San Francisco, CA, USA

2010 brings new opportunities for identity services in the enterprise & consumer markets. This workshop is designed to equip attendees with the vital information required to ensure success in employing the right identity management approach with the proper considerations. Recent developments in identity assurance, multi-protocol interoperability, liability models, usability, privacy-enablement and identity services certification will be spotlighted by key market leaders including Google, Oracle, CA, Aetna, NTT and Ping Identity.

Agenda:

Colin Wallis from the New Zealand Government’s Department of Internal Affairs joins this episode of the Identity Matters Podcast. As the Kantara Initiative eGovernment Work Group Chair, he provides an overview of what the group is doing. He talks about how the adoption of the initial eGov Profile has spurred on development of version 2. He also discussed how the eGov work dovetails with the Kantara Interoperability Review Board (IRB), as well as work taking place outside Kantara.

Currently in Development: eGov Profile 2.0

Podcast: Download MP3 | Episode Length: 0:15:10 | Filesize: 10 MB

NOTE: This podcast was produced in collaboration with the Kantara Initiative Identity Community Update Discussion Group.

We’re happy to announce the continued leadership of Kenji Takahashi as Kantara Initiative’s Japan WG (Working Group) Chair.  Mr. Takahashi of NTT has worked with Kantara Initiative since it’s launch alongside Toshihiro Suzuki of Oracle Corporation as co-chair of the Japan WG.  Kenji also leads the Japan Discussion Group for Kantara. Both Kenji and Toshihiro have played a significant part in extending the education and adoption in the Japanese market, most recently presenting the Kantara Initiative Symposium.  Kenji also served in previous years as co-chair of the Liberty Alliance Japan Special Interest Group (SIG).

We congratulate Kenji in his continued role and look forward more great work coming from the Japan WG this year.

We’re happy to announce Bob Pinheiro as Kantara Initiative’s Consumer Identity WG Chair.  Bob has been active with Kantara Initiative since it’s inception and in previous years with Liberty Alliance chairing the Identity Theft Prevention Group.

Congratulations to Bob, we’re  looking forward to all of the excellent work to come out of the Consumer Identity WG in 2010.