Re: [Auth]newcomer in dotgnu

[Tolga KILICLI]

On Mon, Oct 22, 2001 at 12:00:41PM +0200, Norbert Bollow wrote:

> > And I want to learn what is the decision on authentication and
> > probably authorization.
> 
> In the current situation (with Microsoft trying hard to dominate
> the auth services market, and nobody really knowing what exactly
> the users will want) the only reasonable way for DotGNU to go
> forward is to implement several reasonable approaches, and leave
> the final decision to the users.
> 
> So I'd encourage you to make up your mind on what you think would
> be the best way to do it (this list is here for purposes of
> discussing these matters) and then either join a project that
> goes in a good direction, or you are free to start a new,
> competing auth project if you think that none of the existing
> projects is a winner.

If no decision is made,
I'd vote PKI. Because, everyone in the system has an electronic ID either on a 
smart card/token or on a file (I prefer smart cards). And this ID could, 
obviously, linked to all the information needed (As the trust relationship is
decided and trust model is fully implemented). And PKI could be used nearly 
everywhere as an authentication tool and authorization tool for both users and 
service providers.

PKI gives us the needed decentralized if the necessary trust relations are 
satisfied. Also it is just a REAL passport because it is unique and if quantum 
computers are not available soon it is hard to break or create the pair. 

A normal home user with no authentication knowledge could use the system. If you
say to someone "This is your password. DO NOT write down and remember this", 
if he/she forgets what she would do? Re-enroll to the system? If he/she losses 
the private key, he/she just wants another one, and backgound services just
revokes the old ones. People generally tend to forget password but they do not 
lose their home keys or credit cards. And of cource we should give support to 
the smart cards, however their standards are still developing.


tk.


ps: is there any other source other than portable.net? where I could find?

-- 
As we enjoy great advantages from inventions of others, 
we should be glad of an opportunity to serve others by any invention of ours; 
and this we should do freely and generously.
                                                       - Benjamin Franklin