Mike Jones: self-issued

Musings on Digital Identity

OpenID Federation Session at April 2024 IIW

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On April 18, 2024

In Events, Federation, OpenID

OpenID logoJohn Bradley and I convened a session on Trust Establishment with OpenID Federation at the Internet Identity Workshop (IIW) on Thursday, April 18, 2024. The material used to drive the discussion was:

The session was well attended and the discussion lively. Numerous people with trust establishment problems to solve contributed, including experts from the SAML federation world, people involved in digital wallet projects, and several people already using or considering using OpenID Federation. Thanks to all who participated!

OpenID Presentations at April 2024 OpenID Workshop and IIW

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On April 16, 2024

In Events, OpenID

OpenID logoAs has become traditional, I gave the following presentation at the Monday, April 15, 2024 OpenID Workshop at Google:

I also gave this invited “101” session presentation at the Internet Identity Workshop (IIW) on Tuesday, April 16, 2024:

Fully-Specified Algorithms Presentation at 2024 OAuth Security Workshop

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On April 12, 2024

In Cryptography, Events, IETF, Specifications

OAuth Security WorkshopI gave a presentation on Fully-Specified Algorithms for JOSE and COSE at the 2024 OAuth Security Workshop in Rome. The slides used to update participants on the progress of the work are available as PowerPoint and PDF.

Thanks to the organizers for another great OAuth Security Workshop! And special thanks to the colleagues from Fondazione Bruno Kessler who did a great job with local arrangements in Rome!

COSE “typ” (type) Header Parameter Specification in RFC Editor Queue

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On April 12, 2024

In CBOR, Claims, IETF, Specifications

IETF logoI’m pleased to report that the COSE “typ” (type) Header Parameter Specification has been approved by the IESG and is now in the RFC Editor queue.

The version approved by the IESG and sent to the RFC Editor is:

It joins CBOR Web Token (CWT) Claims in COSE Headers in the RFC Editor queue. Because of the reference to this spec by CWT Claims in Headers, they form a cluster, and therefore will become RFCs at the same time.

Eight Specifications Published in Preparation for IETF 119

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On March 20, 2024

In CBOR, Claims, Cryptography, Events, IETF, JSON, Specifications

IETF logoMy co-authors and I published updated versions of eight specifications in preparation for IETF 119 in Brisbane. The specifications span three working groups: JOSE, COSE, and OAuth. The updated specifications and outcomes when discussed at IETF 119 are as follows.

1, 2, & 3: JSON Web Proof, JSON Proof Algorithms, and JSON Proof Token. Updates were:

  • Normatively defined header parameters used
  • Populated IANA Considerations sections
  • Allowed proof representations to contain multiple base64url-encoded parts
  • Specified representation of zero-length disclosed payloads
  • Added Terminology sections
  • Updated to use draft-irtf-cfrg-bbs-signatures-05
  • Updated to use draft-ietf-cose-bls-key-representations-04
  • More and better examples
  • Improvements resulting from a full proofreading

Continued reviews and feedback from implementations are requested.

4: Fully-Specified Algorithms for JOSE and COSE. Updates were:

  • Published initial working group document following adoption
  • Added text on fully-specified computations using multiple algorithms
  • Added text on KEMs and encapsulated keys
  • Updated instructions to the designated experts

It was agreed during the JOSE meeting to describe what fully-specified algorithms for ECDH would look like, for consideration by the working group.

5: OAuth 2.0 Protected Resource Metadata. Updates were:

  • Switched from concatenating .well-known to the end of the resource identifier to inserting it between the host and path components of it
  • Have WWW-Authenticate return resource_metadata URL rather than resource identifier

It was decided to start working group last call during the OAuth meeting.

6: COSE “typ” (type) Header Parameter. Updates were:

  • Added language about media type parameters
  • Addressed working group last call comments
  • Changed requested assignment from 14 to 16 due to conflict with a new assignment
  • Addressed GENART, OPSDIR, and SECDIR review comments

This document is scheduled for the April 4, 2024 IESG telechat.

7: Barreto-Lynn-Scott Elliptic Curve Key Representations for JOSE and COSE. Updates were:

  • Changed to use key type EC for JOSE and equivalent EC2 for COSE for uncompressed key representations
  • Changed identifier spellings from “Bls” to “BLS”, since these letters are people’s initials

We received feedback to not add compressed key representations to the draft.

8: Use of Hybrid Public-Key Encryption (HPKE) with JavaScript Object Signing and Encryption (JOSE). Updates were:

It was decided to start a working group call for adoption during the JOSE meeting.

Thanks to all who contributed to the progress made on these specifications, both before and during IETF 119!

COSE “typ” (type) Header Parameter Specification Addressing IETF Last Call Feedback

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On February 26, 2024

In CBOR, Claims, IETF, Specifications

IETF logoOrie Steele and I have updated the COSE “typ” (type) Header Parameter Specification to address feedback received during IETF Last Call. No normative changes were made.

Thanks to those that reviewed the specification!

The specification is available at:

Besides the spec being useful on its own, it’s worth noting that the CBOR Web Token (CWT) Claims in COSE Headers specification references this spec, and so won’t exit the RFC Editor queue as an RFC until this one also does.

Continued refinement: OpenID Federation draft 33 published

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On February 23, 2024

In Federation, OpenID, Specifications

OpenID logoOpenID Federation draft 33 has been published at https://openid.net/specs/openid-federation-1_0-33.html and https://openid.net/specs/openid-federation-1_0.html. The working group continues refining the specification to make it more consistent and easier to read and implement.

We published draft 33 now to get these improvements out to implementers. Per the history entries at https://openid.net/specs/openid-federation-1_0-33.html#name-document-history, a summary of changes made in -32 and -33 is:

-33:

  • Addressed #2111: The metadata_policy_crit claim MAY only appear in Subordinate Statements and its values apply to all metadata_policies found in the Trust Chain.
  • Fixed #2096: Authorization Signed Request Object may contain trust_chain in its payload and should not in its JWS header parameters.
  • Strengthen language requiring client verification with automatic registration.
  • Fixed #2076: Promoted Trust Marks to be a top-level section.
  • Added General-Purpose JWT Claims section.
  • Moved Federation Endpoints section before Obtaining Federation Entity Configuration Information section.
  • Fixed #2110: Explanation text when multiple entity_type parameters are provided in the Subordinate Listing endpoint.
  • Fixed #2112, #2113, and #2114: Defined that client authentication is not used by default and that the default client authentication method, when used, is private_key_jwt. Specified that requests using client authentication use HTTP POST.
  • Fixed #2104: Allow trust marks in Subordinate Statements for implementation profiles that might want this.
  • Fixed #2103: Addressed ambiguities in the definition of constraints.

-32:

  • Tightened OpenID Connect Client Registration section.
  • Tightened appendix examples.
  • Fixed #2075: Trust Mark endpoint for the provisioning of the Trust Marks.
  • Fixed #2085: Trust Marked Entities Listing, added sub URL query parameter.
  • Made fetch issuer unambiguous by making the iss parameter REQUIRED.
  • Introduced the term “Subordinate Statement” and applied it throughout the specification. Also consistently use the term “registration Entity Statement” for Explicit Client Registration results.
  • Clarified where Entity Statement claims can and cannot occur.
  • Renamed policy_language_crit to metadata_policy_crit.
  • Fixed #2093: Numbered the list defining the order policy operators are applied in.

Special thanks to Stefan Santesson for his thorough review of the specification in the context of the Swedish Federation deployment!

Invited OpenID Federation Presentation at 2024 FIM4R Workshop

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On January 31, 2024

In Events, Federation, OpenID, Specifications

OpenID logoThe OpenID Federation editors were invited to give a presentation on OpenID Federation at the 18th FIM4R Workshop, which was held at the 2024 TIIME Unconference. Giuseppe De Marco, Roland Hedberg, John Bradley, and I tag-teamed the presentation, with Vladimir Dzhuvinov also participating in the Q&A. Topics covered included motivations, architecture, design decisions, capabilities, use cases, history, status, implementations, and people.

Here’s the material we used:

It was the perfect audience – chock full of people with practical federation deployment experience!

Fully-Specified Algorithms adopted by JOSE working group

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On January 31, 2024

In CBOR, Cryptography, IETF, JSON, Specifications

IETF logoThe “Fully-Specified Algorithms for JOSE and COSE” specification has been adopted by the JOSE working group. See my original post about the spec for why fully-specified algorithms matter. Thanks to all who supported adoption and also thanks to those who provided useful detailed feedback that we can address in future working group drafts.

The specification is available at:

OAuth 2.0 Protected Resource Metadata draft addressing all known issues

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On January 24, 2024

In Uncategorized

OAuth logoAaron Parecki and I have published a draft of the “OAuth 2.0 Protected Resource Metadata” specification that addresses all the issues that we’re aware of. In particular, the updates address the comments received during the discussions at IETF 118. As described in the History entry for -02, the changes were:

  • Switched from concatenating .well-known to the end of the resource identifier to inserting it between the host and path components of it.
  • Have WWW-Authenticate return resource_metadata rather than resource.

The specification is available at:

Celebrating Ten Years of OpenID Connect at the OpenID Summit Tokyo 2024

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On January 20, 2024

In Claims, Events, Federation, History, JSON, OAuth, OpenID, Specifications

OpenID logoWe held the first of three planned tenth anniversary celebrations for the completion of OpenID Connect at the OpenID Summit Tokyo 2024. The four panelists were Nov Matake, Ryo Ito, Nat Sakimura, and myself. We shared our perspectives on what led to OpenID Connect, why it succeeded, and what lessons we learned along the way.

The most common refrain throughout our descriptions was the design philosophy to “Keep simple things simple”. I believe that three of the four of us cited it.

I recounted that we even had a thought experiment used to make the “Keep simple things simple” principle actionable in real time: the “Nov Matake Test”. As we considered new features, we’d ask ourselves “Would Nov want to add it to his implementation?” And “Is it simple enough that he could build it in a few hours?”

The other common thread was the criticality of interop testing and certification. We held five rounds of interop testing before finishing the specifications, with the specs being refined after each round based on the feedback received. The early developer feedback was priceless – much of it from Japan!

Our OpenID Connect 10th anniversary presentations were:

Thanks to the OpenID Foundation Japan for the thought-provoking and enjoyable OpenID Summit Tokyo 2024!

Panel in Tokyo

The Nov Matake Test

25 Years of OpenID

There Came Mike Jones

2024 OpenID Foundation Board Election Results

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On January 19, 2024

In OpenID, People

OpenID logoThanks to those of you who elected me to a two-year term on the OpenID Foundation board of directors. This is an incredibly exciting time for the OpenID Foundation and for digital identity, and I’m thrilled to be able to contribute via the OpenID board. Thanks for placing your trust in me!

I’d like to also take this opportunity to congratulate my fellow board members who were also elected: George Fletcher, Atul Tulshibagwale, and Mark Verstege. See the OpenID Foundation’s announcement of the 2024 election results.

My candidate statement was:

I am on a mission to build the Internet’s missing identity layer. OpenID specifications and initiatives are key to realizing that vision.

Widespread deployment of OpenID specifications has the potential to make people’s online interactions more seamless, secure, and valuable. I have been actively working since 2007 to make that an everyday reality.

2024 has huge potential for advances in digital identity. People are starting to have identity wallets holding digital credentials that they control. National and international federations are being established. Open Banking and Open Finance deployments are ongoing. Adoption of OpenID Connect (which we created a decade ago!) continues going strong. We’re on track to have OpenID Connect be published as ISO standards. OpenID specifications and programs are essential to all these outcomes.

While many of you know me and my work, here’s a few highlights of my contributions to the digital identity space and the OpenID community:

– I was primary editor of OpenID Connect, primary editor of the OAuth 2.0 bearer token specification [RFC 6750], and primary editor of the JSON Web Token (JWT) specification [RFC 7519] and the JSON Object Signing and Encryption (JOSE) specifications [RFCs 7515-7518], which are used by OpenID Connect. I was an editor of the Security Event Token specification [RFC 8417], which is used by Shared Signals and OpenID Connect. I’m an editor of the SIOPv2 specification and a contributor to the other OpenID for Verifiable Credentials specifications. I’m an editor of the OpenID Federation specification. The OAuth DPoP specification [RFC 9449] was my latest RFC. I’m an author of 32 RFCs and 17 final OpenID specifications, with more of each in the pipeline.

– I spearheaded creation of the successful OpenID Connect certification program and continue actively contributing to its success. Over 2,800 certifications have been performed and the pace keeps increasing! Certification furthers the Foundation’s goals of promoting interoperation and increasing the quality of implementations. It’s also become an important revenue stream for the Foundation.

– My contributions to the Foundation have included serving on the board since 2008, serving as board secretary during most of my tenure. I’ve helped organize numerous OpenID summits and working group meetings and regularly present there. I chaired the election committee that developed the Foundation’s election procedures and software. I co-chaired the local chapters committee that developed the policies governing the relationships with local OpenID chapters around the world. I serve on the liaison committee, facilitating our cooperation with other organizations. And way back in 2007, I worked with the community to create the legal framework for the OpenID Foundation, enabling both individuals and corporations to be full participants in developing OpenID specifications and ensuring that they can be freely used by all.

I’d like to continue serving on the OpenID board, because while the OpenID community is having notable successes, our work is far from done. Taking it to the next level will involve both additional specifications work and strategic initiatives by the Foundation. We need to continue building a broad base of supporters and deployers of OpenID specifications around the world. We need to continue fostering close working relationships with partner organizations. And we need to continue safeguarding OpenID’s intellectual property and trademarks, so they remain freely available for all to use.

I have a demonstrated track record of energetically serving the OpenID community and producing results that people actually use. I plan to continue taking an active role in making open identity solutions even more successful and ubiquitous. That’s why I’m running for a community board seat in 2024.

Mike Jones
michael_b_jones@hotmail.com
Blog: https://self-issued.info/
Professional Website: https://self-issued.consulting/

Ten Years of OpenID Connect and Looking to the Future

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On December 19, 2023

In Claims, Federation, History, JSON, OAuth, OpenID, Specifications

OpenID logoTen years ago today the drafts that would be approved as the final OpenID Connect specifications were published, as announced in my post Fourth and possibly last Release Candidates for final OpenID Connect specifications and Notice of 24 hour review period.

The adoption of OpenID Connect has exceeded our wildest expectations. The vast majority of federated signins to sites and applications today use OpenID Connect. Android, AOL, Apple, AT&T, Auth0, Deutsche Telekom, ForgeRock, Google, GrabTaxi, GSMA Mobile Connect, IBM, KDDI, Microsoft, NEC, NRI, NTT, Okta, Oracle, Orange, Ping Identity, Red Hat, Salesforce, Softbank, Symantec, T-Mobile, Telefónica, Verizon, Yahoo, and Yahoo! Japan, all use OpenID Connect, and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. While OpenID Connect is “plumbing” and not a consumer brand, it’s filling a need and doing it well.

It’s fitting that the second set of errata corrections to the OpenID Connect specifications were just approved, as described in the post Second Errata Set for OpenID Connect Specifications Approved. While we are proud of the quality of the final specifications, with 9 3/4 years of thousands of developers using and deploying the specifications, it’s unsurprising that issues would be found that needed clarification and correction.

The updated OpenID Connect specifications have just been submitted to the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) for Publicly Available Submission (PAS) status. Approved PAS submissions are published as ISO specifications. This will foster adoption in jurisdictions that require using standards that are published by organizations with international treaty status.

Celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the approval of OpenID Connect will occur worldwide in 2024. The first will be in Asia at the OpenID Summit Tokyo in January. The second will be in the Americas at Identiverse in May. The third will be in Europe at the European Identity and Cloud Conference in June. Join us at these events for the celebrations!

I can’t wait to see what the next decade brings for OpenID Connect!

On the journey to an Implementer’s Draft: OpenID Federation draft 31 published

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On November 8, 2023

In Federation, OpenID, Specifications

OpenID logoOpenID Federation draft 31 has been published at https://openid.net/specs/openid-federation-1_0-31.html and https://openid.net/specs/openid-federation-1_0.html. It’s the result of concerted efforts to make the specification straightforward to read, understand, and implement for developers. Many sections have been rewritten and simplified. Some content has been reorganized to make its structure and relationships more approachable. Many inconsistencies were addressed.

Some inconsistencies fixed resulted in a small number of breaking changes. For instance, the name “trust_mark_owners” is now consistently used throughout, whereas an alternate spelling was formerly also used. The editors tried to make all known such changes in this version, so hopefully this will be the last set of breaking changes. We published draft 31 now in part to get these changes out to implementers. See the history entries at https://openid.net/specs/openid-federation-1_0-31.html#name-document-history for a detailed description of the changes made.

A comprehensive review of the specification is still ongoing. Expect more improvements in the exposition in draft 32. With any luck, -32 will be the basis of the next proposed Implementer’s Draft.

We’re definitely grateful for all the useful feedback we’re receiving from developers. Developer feedback is gold!

Hybrid Public Key Encryption (HPKE) for JOSE

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On October 31, 2023

In Cryptography, IETF, JSON, Specifications

IETF logoThe new “Use of Hybrid Public-Key Encryption (HPKE) with Javascript Object Signing and Encryption (JOSE)” specification has been published. Its abstract is:

This specification defines Hybrid public-key encryption (HPKE) for use with Javascript Object Signing and Encryption (JOSE). HPKE offers a variant of public-key encryption of arbitrary-sized plaintexts for a recipient public key.

HPKE works for any combination of an asymmetric key encapsulation mechanism (KEM), key derivation function (KDF), and authenticated encryption with additional data (AEAD) function. Authentication for HPKE in JOSE is provided by JOSE-native security mechanisms or by one of the authenticated variants of HPKE.

This document defines the use of the HPKE with JOSE.

Hybrid Public Key Encryption (HPKE) is defined by RFC 9180. There’s a whole new generation of specifications using it for encryption. The Messaging Layer Security (MLS) Protocol [RFC 9420] uses it. TLS Encrypted Client Hello uses it. Use of Hybrid Public-Key Encryption (HPKE) with CBOR Object Signing and Encryption (COSE) brings it to COSE. And this specification brings it to JOSE.

One of our goals for the JOSE HPKE specification is to keep it closely aligned with the COSE HPKE specification. That should be facilitated by having multiple authors in common, with Hannes Tschofenig and Orie Steele being authors of both, and me being a COSE co-chair.

Aritra Banerjee will be presenting the draft to the JOSE working group at IETF 118 in Prague. I’m hoping to see many of you there!

The specification is available at:

On the Closing Stretch for Errata Corrections to OpenID Connect

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On October 30, 2023

In OpenID, Specifications

OpenID logoThe initial OpenID Connect specifications became final on February 25, 2014. While the working group is rightfully proud of the quality of the work and the widespread adoption it has attained, specification writing is a human endeavor and mistakes will inevitably be made. That’s why the OpenID Foundation has a process for publishing Errata corrections to specifications.

Eight issues were identified and corrected that year, with the first set of errata corrections being published on November 8, 2014. Since that time, suggestions for improvements have continued to trickle in, but with a 9+ year trickle, a total of 95 errata issues have been filed! They range from the nearly trivial, such as an instance of http that should have been https, to the more consequential, such as language that could be interpreted in different ways.

I’m pleased to report that, with a substantial investment by the working group, I’ve managed to work through all the 87 additional errata issues filed since the first errata set and incorporate corrections for them into published specification drafts. They are currently undergoing OpenID Foundation-wide review in preparation for a vote to approve the second set of errata corrections.

As a bonus, the OpenID Foundation plans to submit the newly minted corrected drafts for publication by ISO as Publicly Available Specifications. This should foster even broader adoption of OpenID Connect by enabling deployments in some jurisdictions around the world that have legal requirements to use specifications from standards bodies recognized by international treaties, of which ISO is one. Just in time for OpenID Connect’s 10th anniversary!

OpenID Summit Tokyo 2024 and the 10th Anniversary of OpenID Connect

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On October 30, 2023

In Events, OpenID

OpenID logoI’m pleased to bring your attention to the upcoming OpenID Summit Tokyo 2024, which will be held on Friday, January 19, 2024. Join us there for a stellar line-up of speakers and consequential conversations!

OpenID Summit Tokyo 2024

This builds on the successes of past summits organized by the OpenID Foundation Japan. For instance, I found the OpenID Summit Tokyo 2020 and associated activities and discussions both very useful and very enjoyable.

A special feature of the 2024 summit will be celebrating the 10th anniversary of the OpenID Connect specifications, which were approved on February 25, 2014. Speakers who were there for its creation, interop testing, and early deployments will share their experiences and lessons learned, including several key participants from Japan. As I recounted at EIC 2023, building ecosystems is hard. And yet we achieved that for OpenID Connect! We are working to create new identity ecosystems as we speak. I believe that the lessons learned from OpenID Connect are very applicable today. Come join the conversation!

Finally, as a teaser, I’m also helping the OpenID Foundation to plan two additional 10th anniversary celebrations at prominent 2024 identity events – one in Europe and one in the Americas. Watch this space for further news about these as it develops!

BLS Key Representations for JOSE and COSE updated for IETF 118

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On October 24, 2023

In CBOR, Claims, IETF, JSON, Privacy, Specifications

IETF logoTobias Looker and I have published an updated Barreto-Lynn-Scott Elliptic Curve Key Representations for JOSE and COSE specification in preparation for IETF 118 in Prague. This one of suite of IETF and IRTF specifications, including BLS Signatures and JSON Web Proofs that are coming together to enable standards for the use of JSON-based and CBOR-based tokens utilizing zero-knowledge proofs.

The specification is available at:

CBOR Web Token (CWT) Claims in COSE Headers Draft Addressing IETF Last Call Comments

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On October 24, 2023

In CBOR, Claims, IETF, Specifications

IETF logoTobias Looker and I have published an updated CBOR Web Token (CWT) Claims in COSE Headers specification that addresses the IETF Last Call (WGLC) comments received. Changes made were:

  • Added Privacy Consideration about unencrypted claims in header parameters.
  • Added Security Consideration about detached content.
  • Added Security Consideration about claims that are present both in the payload and the header of a CWT.
  • Changed requested IANA COSE Header Parameter assignment number from 13 to 15 due to subsequent assignments of 13 and 14.
  • Acknowledged last call reviewers.

The specification is available at:

The specification is scheduled for the IESG telechat on November 30, 2023.

JSON Web Proofs specifications updated in preparation for IETF 118

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On October 22, 2023

In Claims, Cryptography, IETF, JSON, Privacy, Specifications

IETF logoDavid Waite and I have updated the “JSON Web Proof”, “JSON Proof Algorithms”, and “JSON Proof Token” specifications in preparation for presentation and discussions in the JOSE working group at IETF 118 in Prague. The primary updates were to align the BBS algorithm text and examples with the current CFRG BBS Signature Scheme draft. We also applied improvements suggested by Brent Zundel and Alberto Solavagione.

The specifications are available at:

Thanks to David Waite for doing the heavy lifting to update the BBS content. Thanks to MATTR for publishing their Pairing Cryptography software, which was used to generate the examples. And thanks to Alberto Solavagione for validating the specifications with his implementation.

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