RSA Conference 2010: Identity at the Forefront

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Today, at RSA 2010, Scott Charney, vice president of Trustworthy Computing, keynoted about Microsoft's continued efforts to create a safer, more trusted Internet.  He spoke about cloud security, highlighting the importance of identity technologies and Microsoft's broad investments in identity and access to address the needs of businesses, governments and individuals. 

Forefront Identity Manager (FIM)

Additionally, Microsoft released the General Availability of Forefront Identity Manager 2010 (FIM). FIM is an important deliverable of the Business Ready Security strategy to help companies manage risk and empower their people.  It is a core part of our identity & access management solution, which aims to enable more secure access to both on-site and cloud applications, from virtually any location or device. Overall, FIM takes a great deal of cost and inefficiency out of identity management.

More information about FIM and how to evaluate it is here.

U-Prove

Also at RSA, Microsoft announced the Community Technology Preview of U-Prove, an advanced cryptographic software that helps protect people's identity and privacy as they use online services.  It is especially relevant to e-government initiatives and national ID programs. Using "minimal disclosure tokens," U-Prove enables individuals to disclose just the information needed by online applications and services, but nothing more - helping protect privacy and prevent cyber-crime.

Microsoft is working with The Fraunhofer Institute for Open Communication Systems FOKUS in Berlin, Germany.   Fraunhofer-FOKUS is a competency center for e-Government and Secure e-Identity, and hosts the German electronic identity system, which will roll out in 2010.

In his keynote Scott Charney played a video about a Microsoft and Fraunhofer-FOKUS proof-of-concept illustrating minimal disclosure with U-Prove and other Microsoft identity technologies.  You can view the video here.

To find out more about Microsoft at RSA, visit the Microsoft News Center Site or the Forefront Blog.