FAQ - Frequently Asked Questions

On November 10, 2000 , AuthXML announced the creation of AuthXML.org - a dedicated team and associated web site whose charter is to foster and coordinate the open development of the AuthXML standard and encourage a reference implementation of the standard as open source code. AuthXML.org will act as the focal point for the AuthXML community and will provide guidance to developers. On the authxml.org web site, participants and developers will find the latest specification, community information, news and related links.

The AuthXML standard will be controlled by the Project Leader Outlook Technologies as well as Contributing Members and Reviewers.

Charter members were recently provided with the initial specification, which is now available to the public on the AuthXML Web site. After incorporating comments and contributions, AuthXML plans to release version 1.0 of its specification to an appropriate standards body for consideration. Meanwhile, AuthXML is inviting participation by other companies that wish to support AuthXML.

Part of the mission of AuthXML is to encourage support of the AuthXML standard as well as enable the development of a reference implementation of the standard in Open Source. We expect the support in the majority of applications in the near future. Also it is possible for you to write your own support via API's.

AuthXML welcomes all developers to join. A support area for questions and assistance with the AuthXML specification is available here or email developer@authxml.org.

Please check out the Working Groups page to see how you can participate.

NO, SSL provides a basic encryption of data between client and the webserver. AuthXML is designed to ease integration of transactions between trading partner sites that may be using different security systems and within a given site that may be deploying multiple applications that need integrated security.

Users are commonly required to use a separate password to authenticate themselves to each server they need to access in the course of their work. Multiple passwords are an ongoing headache for both users and system administrators. Users have difficulty keeping track of different passwords, tend to choose poor ones, and tend to write them down in obvious places.

Administrators must keep track of a separate password database on each server and deal with potential security problems related to the fact that passwords are sent over the network routinely and frequently.

Solving this problem requires some way for a user to log in once, using a single password, and get authenticated access to all servers that user is authorized to use--without sending any passwords over the network. This capability is known as single sign-on.

AuthXML is not owned by any one vendor. Instead, the standards proposal will be submitted to an appropriate open standards body to ensure that it remains an open industry standard in which any interested companies and organizations can participate.

Please check out the Working Groups page to see how you can participate.