Rumor has it that MS is planning on expanding passport into an authentication service that "everyone" will use. Not just for MS, MSDN and Hotmail, but for Ebay, government sites, PayPal, Banks, 401K, etc., etc.
Step one is for MS to provide this authentication service. This will allow MS to track where you go because they will authenticate you...much like Double-Click; with the major exception that MS will have your name, address and e-mail as well.
Step two in the master plan is codenamed "HailStorm". MS wants you to provide them all of your personal data once, so that HailStorm enabled sites can just query HailStorm for your personal data in order to provide a service. Any HailStorm compliant bank can pull enough data to approve a loan. A HailStorm compliant insurance company could quote you for home or life insurance, etc., etc., etc.
In many ways hacking passport becomes the holy grail. If other people buy into the concept and use passport the legal ramifications are interesting. If passport authenticates people and is hacked would Microsoft be liable? In my humble opinion, if this does catch on it will need to be incredibly secure and will become an instant target for the hacker and cracker community at large.
~Sapientia~
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Rumor has it that MS is planning on expanding passport into an authentication service that "everyone" will use. Not just for MS, MSDN and Hotmail, but for Ebay, government sites, PayPal, Banks, 401K, etc., etc. Step one is for MS to provide this authentication service. This will allow MS to track where you go because they will authenticate you...much like Double-Click; with the major exception that MS will have your name, address and e-mail as well. Step two in the master plan is codenamed "HailStorm". MS wants you to provide them all of your personal data once, so that HailStorm enabled sites can just query HailStorm for your personal data in order to provide a service. Any HailStorm compliant bank can pull enough data to approve a loan. A HailStorm compliant insurance company could quote you for home or life insurance, etc., etc., etc. In many ways hacking passport becomes the holy grail. If other people buy into the concept and use passport the legal ramifications are interesting. If passport authenticates people and is hacked would Microsoft be liable? In my humble opinion, if this does catch on it will need to be incredibly secure and will become an instant target for the hacker and cracker community at large. ~Sapientia~