IMC: A Classification of Identity Management Approaches

TL;DR

This paper introduces the IMC framework, a comprehensive classification system for identity management approaches based on topology, user type, and environment, highlighting trade-offs and guiding implementation choices.

Contribution

The paper develops the IMC classification and extends it with a morphology of cooperation, providing a detailed, practical characterization of identity management approaches.

Findings

IMC highlights trade-offs between user control and trust.

The morphology describes cooperation characteristics.

Framework aids in selecting suitable identity management approaches.

Abstract

This paper presents a comprehensive classification of identity management approaches. The classification makes use of three axes: topology, type of user, and type of environment. The analysis of existing approaches using the resulting identity management cube (IMC) highlights the trade-off between user control and trust in attributes. A comparative analysis of IMC and established models identifies missing links between the approaches. The IMC is extended by a morphology of identity management, describing characteristics of cooperation. The morphology is then mapped to the life cycle of users and identity management in a further step. These classifications are practically underlined with current approaches. Both methods combined provide a comprehensive characterization of identity management approaches. The methods help to choose suited approaches and implement needed tools.