IBM offers to take on authentication for developers

From InfoWorld: The number of high-profile data breaches in recent months makes a strong argument for changing how online services handle authentication. In offering its Identity Mixer tool on Bluemix, IBM is taking care of authentication so that developers can focus on the rest of the app.

Several facets of Identity Mixer are related to authentication. It maintains user privacy because it handles authentication on the application’s behalf; applications only need to know the user is authorized. Identity Mixer takes care of encrypting and storing user data on its systems so that individual applications don't have to. Finally, it centralizes information storage, so users don't have to fret about their personal details being held across multiple applications and services. Individuals now have control over where their details are retained.

Based on 10 years of research by the team at IBM Research Zurich, Identity Mixer lets developers authenticate users' identities without collecting personal data. The technology has an anonymous credentials system at its core and serves as a security interface between the user and application.

Though Identity Mixer was unveiled back in January, up until now, access has been limited. With the technology generally available on Bluemix, developers can easily incorporate it into their applications.

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