Executive Director’s Corner – October 2013

Welcome to the Executive Director’s Corner.  We verify Trusted ID system 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.  Below are some of the recent highlights.
Items of Interest

  • 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 contract for implementation and operations of this service which has been awarded to SecureKey – a member of Kantara Initiative.  Kantara Initiative is the premiere organization who will provide policy and technology interoperability verification for Identity Provider organizations who seek to be eligible to connect to FCCX. Kantara Initiative performs this service via its approval as a Trust Framework Provider for the US Federal Identity Credential Access Management (FICAM) team.
  • NSTIC: Kantara Initiative is participating in various roles in 5 of the National Strategy for Trusted Identity in Cyberspace (NSTIC) pilot initiatives.
  • 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.
  • OECD-ITAC: Kantara Initiative will participate in the upcoming OECD-ITAC meeting scheduled for December 9-13.
  • 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.
  • Spotlights: Kantara Initiative recently put the spotlight on member SecureKey, their unique service and why they joined Kantara Initiative. We seek to highlight a new member each month.
  • Events: The  community calendar lists group meetings and events that touch the IdM/IAM spaces.
  • Workshops: Kantara Initiative is planning a number of strategic workshops, roundtable and summits for 2014.
  • Industry Events Participation: Kantara Initiative participated in the following events in October
    • Date: Oct 15-16
      What: Smart Card Alliance
      Where: Wash DC
      Who: Katnara Public Workshop
    • Date: Oct 21-25
      What: ISO SC 27
      Where: Korea
      Who: Kantara Liaison Representatives
    • Date: Oct 21-25
      What: ForgeRock Community Summit
      Where: London
      Who: Kantara Initiative President and Members
    • Date: Oct 22-24
      What: IIW #17
      Where: California
      Who: Various Kantara Initiative Members

Newsworthy Items

Upcoming Meetings/Events

  • Date: Nov 4-8
    What: IETF 88
    Where: Vancouver, BC
    Who: Various Kantara Members
  • Date: Nov 5-7
    What: IEEE-SA IoT Conference
    Where: San Jose California
    Who: Allan Foster, ForgeRock & Ingo Friese, Deutche Telekom
  • Date: Nov 13-14
    What: Identity North
    Where: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
    Who: Various Kantara Members
  • Date: Dec 9-13
    What: OECD-ITAC
    Where: Paris, France
    Who: Kantara Initiative Members and others