Passport Changing from Closed System to Trust Broker

Microsoft’s Passport authentication service is being redesigned to interoperate with other authentication systems in corporations and on the Internet. By repositioning Passport (now called “.NET Passport”) as a central “trust broker” for a set of “federated” authentication systems, Microsoft hopes to encourage wider adoption of the fee-based .NET My Services (formerly known as HailStorm) and convince more third-party Web sites to implement Passport. The change could also spur sales of Windows .NET Server and improve Passport’s tarnished image. To make the transition successfully, Microsoft will have to change its applications and operating systems (OSs), overhaul the Passport back-end, and address concerns about password security.

Passport’s Role in .NET My Services

Users of .NET My Services will enter personal information, such as credit card numbers and calendar appointments, into a set of Internet-connected databases run by Microsoft and a few partners. Users can then expose this information to a wide variety of applications, including applications running on Web sites. Microsoft hopes to turn .NET My Services into a sizable revenue generator by charging customers for using and accessing the repository. (For background, see “.NET My Services Picture Getting Clearer“.)