MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA--(Marketwired - Jun 9, 2015) - The FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance (https://www.fidoalliance.org/), an industry consortium launched in 2013 to revolutionize online security with open standards for simpler, stronger authentication, today introduced a new class of membership for government agencies to directly participate in the development of FIDO standards. The new Government membership program was conceived in response to government agency appeals to engage more directly with the FIDO Alliance, and represents government's particular interests in securing cyberspace with FIDO authentication. U.S. and UK governments are the first to join the Alliance under the Government Class membership: United States NSTIC/NIST; and United Kingdom Office of the Cabinet.
"As part of our ongoing effort to move the world away from passwords and to stronger forms of authentication, the FIDO Alliance is broadening its membership classes to include a FIDO Government Class membership. This will enable governments around the world to contribute their unique needs and perspectives to the next developments in FIDO standards," said Dustin Ingalls, president of the FIDO Alliance. "We welcome our first government members and look forward to increased participation in this new membership class. We look forward to working with them to develop universal standards for strong authentication that are more secure, private, and easier-to-use than passwords."
NIST, which is home to the National Program Office for implementing the NSTIC, is committed to bringing stronger authentication to individuals. "The fact that FIDO has now welcomed government participation is a logical and exciting step toward further advancement of the Identity Ecosystem; we look forward to continued progress," said Mike Garcia, acting director of the NSTIC NPO.
"I can see a day in the near future when some consumers will start to insist on leveraging a FIDO-based authenticator to access government services through Connect.Gov," added Paul Grassi, NSTIC standards and technology lead.
"We are delighted to have joined our international colleagues in the FIDO Alliance and we're looking forward to participating in the Alliance in future," said Janet Hughes, Identity Assurance Programme, UK Office of the Cabinet.
"Like our core group of global business stakeholders, government agencies around the world have particular interests in and requirements for strong authentication to both secure their own applications, and to meet their increasing focus as policy makers to improve cybersecurity overall," said FIDO Alliance executive director Brett McDowell. "Governments can often influence market acceptance of new information security technology, both as a significant user of the technology themselves, as well as policy maker and regulator. We welcome our new Government members and anticipate the valuable contributions they will soon make to FIDO standards development and adoption."
Government agencies interested in FIDO Alliance membership should contact the FIDO Alliance at www.fidoalliance.org for more information and to apply for membership.
About The FIDO Alliance
The FIDO (Fast IDentity Online) Alliance, www.fidoalliance.org, was formed in July 2012 to address the lack of interoperability among strong authentication technologies, and remedy the problems users face with creating and remembering multiple usernames and passwords. The FIDO Alliance is changing the nature of authentication with standards for simpler, stronger authentication that define an open, scalable, interoperable set of mechanisms that reduce reliance on passwords. FIDO authentication is stronger, private, and easier to use when authenticating to online services with FIDO Certified™ products and services.
The FIDO Alliance Board of Directors includes leading global organizations: Alibaba Holdings (
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Media Contact:
Suzanne Matick
for FIDO Alliance
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