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Net identity plan unveiled
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September 26, 2001: 1:02 p.m. ET
Sun Micro, others line up to offer secure network identity services
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NEW YORK (CNNfn) - Firing a shot across Microsoft's bow, a group of companies from the information technology industry as well as others unveiled an alliance Wednesday for managing the "digital identities" of computer network users.
Called the Liberty Alliance, it aims to create an open, federated, single sign-on solution that would allow users have a single user name and password for Web sites and services on the Internet. Such a standard would go head-to-head with Microsoft's controversial Passport authentication service.
Like Microsoft's Passport service, the Liberty Alliance aims to create a way for users to securely store personal information, such as credit card numbers and addresses, that then could be shared automatically with Liberty-enabled Web sites and services.
The difference is that the Liberty Alliances system would be built using an open standard available freely to anyone who wished to participate. Although Microsoft recently has taken steps to share its Passport service with others, it still is built using proprietary technology owned by Microsoft.
So far, Microsoft (MSFT: down $1.20 to $50.10, Research, Estimates) has 165 million registered users of its Passport service, which is a key element of its soon-to-be released Windows XP operating system.
The 33 co-founders of the Liberty Alliance, which was conceived only about two months ago, said the group plans to work on simplifying the process of signing on to Internet services while making sure users keep control of their information.
Its focus will be on technology, business and branding models, privacy and public policy issues.
Among the 33 founding companies, which the Liberty Alliance claims represent a potential one billion users of such a service, are Microsoft foes including Sun Microsystems (SUNW: down $0.27 to $8.42, Research, Estimates) and RealNetworks (RNWK: up $0.04 to $4.26, Research, Estimates).
Other charter members not directly involved in the technology industry include Bank of America, General Motors and United Airlines. 
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