[LINK] Microsoft tests identity technology in schools

[Tom Koltai]

> -----Original Message-----
> From: link-bounces at mailman1.anu.edu.au 
> [mailto:link-bounces at mailman1.anu.edu.au] On Behalf Of Stephen Wilson
> Sent: Friday, 24 April 2009 8:51 AM
> To: link at mailman1.anu.edu.au
> Subject: Re: [LINK] Microsoft tests identity technology in schools
> 
> 
> 
> If you're going to attack this initiative, then you're going 
> to have to 
> get more focussed.  Microsoft's Information Cards are expressly all 
> about supporting multiple identities, and do not involve a 
> single global 
> ID.  They have actually learned from the Passport mistakes.  In 
> particular, Microsoft now is not an 'identity provider'.

Until a government realises what it means.
 
> I'm guessing in the schools pilot described, that an Info 
> Card would be 
> provided by the school concerned, corresponding to a set of local 
> privileges.  Info Cards are not automatically portable 
> through to other 
> domains like university or the workforce; 

But it will if its convenient and existing. Mainly because of the
generational transition effect.
Its easier to teach the young than to alter the opinions of the old.
If our youngsters are told "Its for your own good... At an age where
they still believe the older generation, then the concept of ID for
access will be ingrained and accepted.

>the expectation in the architecture is that you will get a fresh Info
Card embodying 
> specific claims/assertions when you join a new domain. 
> In particular, if one Info Card was to hold your TFN, the 
> architecture prevents other Info Cards from seeing it. 
>

I'm a tad more cynical.

In 1981 the Government proposed an australia Card.
The Peopple said no.
The government responded with the medicare card, followed by the TFN.
TFN and or medicare card is now requested by many agencies for proof of
identity.
Initial assurances re the linking of medicare and the tax office were
incorrect.

TFN is now linked to medicare through the medical benefits allowance
deduction.

The Australia card was proposed and rejected.
Yet we still have an australia card.

And whilst your tax information may not be available to medical
practitioners through your medicare card, I assure that your medical
expenditure information via medicare is most definitely available to the
ato for audit purposes.
 
> So, Info Cards embody many properties that privacy advocates 
> have long 
> called for.  They're not perfect; for mine, they're deeply 
> rooted in an 
> 'on-all-the-time' mentality, and could usefully be more 
> de-centralised.  
> But there's a lot of goodness there.
> 

The good that can be achieved through the microsoft inniative can also
be achieved through the issue of one time pads (think daily allocated
[institution/school] public key, with by the minute private key via
digital enquiry on gsm network accessible via GPRS telemetry call)
locked to disposable pre-paid mobile phone sim cards.

There is absolutely no reason to link an individual name to a tcp-ip
packet. Unless you want in the future to monitor or limit the access
that particular individual has in some way.

Security can be achieved without personalising the identification of
authorised users.
So again - I state, this is not good - looks innocuous - isnt.

Tom



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