Summary and Next Steps

The primary goals of the InfoCard system are to do the following:

• Enable the use of digital identity in the form of claims in security tokens as authentication and/or authorization data using Web service mechanisms.

• Allow users flexibility in their choice of digital identities they want to employ, and put users squarely in control of the use of their identities in digital interactions.

• Support cryptographically verifiable but human-friendly identification of the recipients of a user's digital identities.

• Enable interoperability with identity providers and relying parties using open protocols to allow an identity ecosystem to thrive.

• Remain agnostic of specific security token types and identity mechanisms so as to effectively be a conduit for identity flow under user control between identity providers and relying parties.

• Safeguard user privacy by providing privacy-friendly identity mechanisms to help thwart tracking of users' online behavior and unsolicited collusion.

• Provide a simple identity provider to allow users to construct and employ self-issued identities in Web service interactions when acceptable.

I hope you can see that InfoCard does a good job of meeting these goals. We're not even at beta 2 and there is still some work to be done. The next release of the Microsoft Federated Identity and Access Resource Kit will have more samples of using IE, managed cards, and security token services, showing end-to-end InfoCard solutions. Stay tuned!