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Identity Federation

A system that allows non-human identities to share and manage access across multiple domains or platforms.

Description

Identity Federation in the context of Non-Human Identities (NHIs) refers to the methods and protocols that enable different systems and organizations to collaborate and share identity information securely for non-human entities such as devices, applications, or services. NHIs, like IoT devices, APIs, and microservices, often need to authenticate and authorize themselves across various platforms without human intervention. Identity Federation allows these entities to utilize a common identity and access management framework that spans multiple services, enabling seamless interactions and resource sharing. This is crucial in environments where NHIs need to operate in distributed systems or cloud ecosystems, allowing for increased efficiency, security, and simplified management. By federating identities, organizations can reduce the complexity of managing numerous credentials and ensure that NHIs can interact securely while maintaining compliance with data protection regulations.

Examples

  • An IoT sensor that authenticates itself to multiple cloud services using a federated identity token.
  • A microservice that accesses APIs from different vendors by using a centralized identity management system.

Additional Information

  • Identity Federation often relies on standards such as SAML, OAuth, or OpenID Connect.
  • Federated identity management can enhance security by allowing centralized control over access permissions.

References