Sun to Open Source Web Single Sign-on

Sun Microsystems is freeing up code from its Java System Access Manager
software to let programmers create single sign-on over the Internet.


The project, Open Web Single Sign-On (OpenSSO) project, will include source
code for authentication and single domain SSO. Sun will include software
hooks to connect the Web site authentication and SSO technologies with the
Sun Java System Web Server and Sun Java System Application Server.


Single sign-on is a crucial component of identity management because it
allows users to sign on to a Web site once and access several other sites in
a completely secure fashion. Such technology will be a key driver for Web
services and other forms of distributed computing.


The Java development community is the target audience, said Eric Leach,
product management director at Sun.


Sun will put the code on the Java.net developer site to build up resources
and community support for Java innovation based on Sun’s software, The
source code will be available under the Common Development and Distribution
License (CDDL) in spring 2006.


To support this effort, Sun will launch the OpenSSO community Web site, which will offer
developers project roadmaps, documentation, tutorials and sample code.


Leach said Sun feels ID management was a logical place to open source code
with the demand for interoperable single sign-on technology rising.


“The idea is that we’re going to give developers the tools they need to
build basic security into their internal Web infrastructures without
additional cost,” Leach said, adding that the play will allow Sun to focus
more on its ID federation and auditing software announced
last month.


The Santa Clara, Calif., company’s move is consistent with another trend in
the software space.


Software vendors such as Sun and BEA Systems have been freeing up some of
their proprietary code to make nice with developers in the hope that they
will ultimately pick and stick with their platforms. BEA, for example,
donated its Beehive and Pollinate development projects to the Apache group.


Earlier this year, Sun freed up
code from its Solaris operating system, and then forked
over code for Java System Application Server Platform Edition 9.0 and the
Java System Enterprise Server Bus (ESB) at JavaOne.


Sun plans to announce the development at the Burton Catalyst show Wednesday
in San Diego, Calif., where the
Afocus
will be on promoting interoperable identity services as the wave of the
future.


ID management is about more than deploying Web services, though that is a
key driver. The niche is important to help corporations meet compliance
regulations imposed by the government in the wake of accounting scandals.


In related news, HP said it has enhanced its OpenView identity management
software, adding better compliance, automation and reporting capabilities.
The suite now boasts common user interfaces (UI) and installations, with
integration of common audit and reporting infrastructure in the works, said
Sai Allavarpu, product manager of HP’s management software business.


In one upgrade, OpenView Select Federation 6.5 now enables users to set
privacy controls on a per-attribute basis, sharing subsets of their profiles
with different service providers. Support for auditing and reporting and
schemas like SAML 2.0, 1.1, 1.0 and the Liberty Alliance Identity Web
Services Framework (ID-WSF) 1.1 are also in the mix.


Separately, security software maker Entrust and ID management specialist
Trustgenix inked a deal to establish stronger security for federated digital
identities. Entrust has integrated its IdentityGuard applications with
Trustgenix’ IdentityBridge software to merge authentication with federated
ID management.

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