Browser Identity Interactions

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Revision as of 09:10, 3 June 2021 by Tom (talk | contribs) (Context)

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Full Title or Meme

The full range of Browser Identity Interactions from the initial identity creation to large scale federation interactions.

Context

  • The OpenID Connect protocol was the first major successful method to create Single Sign On functionality in commonly available browsers.
  • This protocol worked its magic by a method now known as front-channel even though that term does not appear in the OpenID Connect spec.
    • Front channel communications relies on communications from the IdP to the RP to flow through the user's browser, rather than the back channel flow directly between the Idp and RP.
    • The problem occurs when the RP and IdP are not in the same domain (or origin see wiki page Cross-Origin iFrame for descriptions of those terms.
    • Will not be able to detect the IDP session changes, hence will not be able to log out from the client application using front channel (back channel still works).
    • Login functionality will work, but there is no SSO experience between multiple applications.
  • The password manager (PM) is a pluggable feature in the browser. Generally the HTTP hooks are standardized, but the manager itself does not appear to be.
    • The PM can recognize when a user has been at a site before and that the site is asking for a user name and password.

Problems

  • The use of third party cookies to track the user from the RP to the IdP is the same method used by advertisers to track user behavior on the Web.
  • The browsers all block some use of third party cookies in 2020 and are set to soon block all use of third party cookies.
  • Most of the money made on the web is through advertising. Companies like Google cannot afford the loss of their primary revenue stream.

References