Yahoo! announced its support for the OpenID 2.0 digital identity framework for all 248 million active registered Yahoo! users worldwide. OpenID, an open framework based on proven Internet technologies, enables users to consolidate their Internet identity, eliminating the need to create separate IDs and logins at all of the various websites, blogs, and profile pages they may visit in the course of their online session. In addition to the many leading Yahoo! services users already enjoy, anyone with a Yahoo! ID will be able to use the same ID for easy access to any sites that support OpenID 2.0.
Yahoo!’s initial OpenID service, which will be available in public beta on January 30, enables a seamless and transparent web experience by allowing users to use their custom OpenID identifier on me.yahoo.com or to simply type in “www.yahoo.com†or “www.flickr.com†on any site that supports OpenID 2.0. Alternatively, web sites that accept OpenID 2.0 will be able to add a simple “Sign-in with Your Yahoo! ID†button to their login pages that will make it even easier for their users. Yahoo! is working with several partners, including Plaxo and JanRain, to make it possible for users to access these sites with their Yahoo! ID from the first day of the public beta.
Yahoo!’s implementation is based on the OpenID 2.0 specification, which Yahoo! worked closely with the OpenID foundation and community to finalize in December 2007, and includes new features that improve security and usability of OpenID, making it the most user-friendly single sign-on and online user-authentication standard. Yahoo! users who log in with their Yahoo! ID on OpenID sites will have the added protection of Yahoo!’s sign-in seal wherever they go on the web. In addition, no email or IM addresses are revealed or disclosed as part of the login process, which further helps protect users from phishing or other attacks.
Originally posted on January 17, 2008 @ 10:23 am
There are a healthy number of FREE OpenID Providers available to web users interested in establishing their online identity via OpenID. Yahoo, Orange and AOL have made it very easy for users to establish their OpenID identity by using the sign on credentials they already have through these services. It won’t take long for the remaining mainstream sites to jump in. This is great news for the OpenID project! While large mainstream sites continue to jump on the bandwagon, there are numerous OpenID Providers that are solely dedicated and built around offering web users with feature rich and very secure online identities. A great example is myVidoop.com with their “Goodbye Passwords” approach to security, anywhere anytime access to stored usernames and passwords and user controlled account management via their site tools and SMS features. Other providers add SSL and anti-phishing features just like Yahoo’s Sign-In Seal. Users should really explore what these other Providers have to offer. SpreadOpenID.org has a Provider comparison to help users choose a Provider that suits their needs.
“Goodbye Passwords†It is very convenient for users