Authentication Technologies and Their Privacy Implications

National Academy Of Sciences, Washington DC

Investigators

Abstract

In response to a request to CSTB from the United States Government's Chief Counselor for Privacy, CSTB has framed an assessment of emerging approaches to authentication in computing and communications systems that focuses on the implications of authentication technologies for privacy. This assessment of authentication technologies would examine the state of the art and relevant trends. It would put the technology into a larger context: it would consider technical and nontechnical trends, addressing both the nature of capabilities and their implementation, and the nature of procedural and other nontechnical protections and their enforceability. It would examine differences in concerns associated with public sector versus private sector uses of authentication technologies. Attention would be paid to the likelihood of different mixes of options (e.g., diverse techniques to accommodate, a diverse population and set of needs versus narrower standardization for economic reasons. A report will be produced by the committee and subject to NRC approval. It will describe authentication technologies, the interplay of technical and nontechnical aspects of authentication, and the implications of alternative approaches for privacy; it will make recommendations about fostering relevant research and shaping appropriate policy. It will be distributred to the computer science and privacy communities, associated organizations, consumer organizations, and government agencies and the congress. Web distribution, briefings, discussions at key conferences and in relevant National Academies venues, and articles and announcements in journals and newsletters would be important to getting the word out and furthering discussion. The dissemination process would be launched by a public briefing about the report.