Identity

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Vision

Central to a people-centered ecosystem is an identity system that is under the control of the individual, and enables information sharing on the users own terms with no take-it-or-leave-it policies. To this end, Mozilla is building an identity system for the Web that has these properties.

The first service we're building, Persona, enables users to easily sign into websites using their existing email address in a secure and privacy-protecting way, with no additional passwords. For developers, it offers a very easy to implement API, and a verified email address they can use to communicate with the user.

User identities encompass much more than just an email address, of course, and so the next components of the Mozilla identity system will include payments, profile and data sharing on the users terms and more.

Identity Design Principles

draft 01 APR 2013

Account as relationship, not mechanism

We've used the metaphor of a lock and key for passwords. This is too cold and impersonal. It is an abstraction that serves the cold metal of hardware, but does nothing to help you build a relationship with the person. A more useful way to think about an account is that it allows a computer to identify this person, much like a doorman who can recognize a familiar face and recall their shared history to have a meaningful conversation.

Hierarchy of Needs

These are presented in order from lowest to highest level of user needs. They start with basic and move to more complex.

Reliability

I want access to my information 100% of the time, wherever I am. And don't blame me for unreliable service! The service should be percieved to be reliable.

  • Can access when and where needed.
  • Data is safe from unintentional loss.
  • In-browser password manager is allowed to function normally, not disabled.

Safety

At all points of centralization, the service should be resistant to attack. The service should be perceived as secure/protected.

  • Passwords stored securely.
  • If I lose my device and attacker cannot remotely wipe another machine.
  • Information from one account cannot be used to hack another site

Proportionality

The approach you use should be appropriate to the threat.

  • Password character requirements should be reasonable. Don't ask for 72chars, capital + number that rotates every 90 days unless you are a high-risk target.
  • Keep user logged in for long sessions unless you are a high-risk target.

Creating a supportive environment

Don't treat me as an intruder in my own house. Tone should be human and recognize that remembering credentials is a difficult thing to do. Be polite and forgiving of imperfect memory.

  • Error messages should have positive tone. Shaming language around forgetting password only create unnecessary stress.
  • After login it redirect user to where there intended to go.
  • Remember my configurations.
  • Clear how to access self help documents and forums.

Be the user's trusted agent

Provide a safe and secure way to take your information around the web

  • Easy access to contacts, contents of your "wallet."

Responsibilities of Relying Party sites

There are several issues which are directly related to accounts which are outside the scope of Persona. These are guidelines for relying party sites implementing Persona.

  • Site reflects whether the user is logged in or not.
  • Rules are clear when and why I need to log in or out
  • Usernames should only be used if you have public-facing content that needs to be anonymous.
  • Site has clear policies about who has access to and who owns user data.
  • Site employs ethical practices around what they do with user data and data portability.
  • Changes to terms and privacy policies are presented with clear language.

2013 Identity Goals

  • Sign into websites
  • PiCL (a.k.a. Profile In the Cloud)
  • Native sign into websites & apps (FxOS, FxDesktop, FxAndroid, and others)

2013 Projects and Roadmap

Firefox OS

Milestones Overview Target Crew
FXOS code merge for phone launch Q2 Jed, Team Signin
FXOS performance Q2 Jed
Persona on first-run Q3 Jed
Age verification Q4 Jed
Silent SMS support for marketplace Q4 Jed

Profile in the Cloud (PiCL)

Milestones Overview Target Crew
[Attached Services] When a user logs into the browser using a Persona identity, they likely want to connect a number of services, including passwords, bookmarks and tabs backup, contacts in the cloud, apps, etc. The PiCL project will be publishing updates on a regular basis. Details on our milestone schedule can be viewed at: PiCL engineering milestones Ben (Project Lead), Jed (Contacts Lead), Chris K (Password Lead), Crystal (UX), Brian W, Ryan K, Dan W, Zach
Desktop & Android initial platform-level features landed in FX Q2
Define FXOS PiCL product requirements Working with FXOS product management Q2
Landed feature in Nightly Q3
FXOS development planning Q3
Release to Public Q4
FFOS: land code Q4
FXOS: Set up Servers & Partnerships Q1 2014
FXOS: Ship Q2 2014

Signin to Web

Project Overview Target Crew
Train Schedule Details on our train schedule is live and on demand Lloyd (Project Lead), Francois, Shane, Dan C, Jared, Gene
Finalize FXOS production code merge Q2
AWS move 2 datacenters Q2
Identity Bridging Google Q2
Identity Bridging Google Apps for your Domain Q3
Security (2FA, active monitoring, phishing defenses) Q4

Identity Speaks: Upcoming Conference Schedule

Conference Presentation Details Date Location Presenter
Open Source Bridge The problem with passwords on the web and what to do about it June 20, 2013 Portland, OR, USA Francois Marier
Fórum Internacional Software Livre User logins: can we do better than passwords and avoid centralized services? July 5, 2013 Porto Alegre, Brazil Francois Marier
Libre Software Meeting Passwords and freedom: can we lose the former and retain the latter? July 8, 2013 Brussels, Belgium Francois Marier
Libre Software Meeting Mozilla Persona for your domain July 10, 2013 Brussels, Belgium Francois Marier
WDCNZ Taking the pain out of signing users in July 25, 2013 Wellington, New Zealand Francois Marier

Meet the Identity Team

Name Title Location
Austin King Developer Washington
Ben Adida Director, Identity California
Brian Warner Developer California
Chris Karlof Developer California
Crystal Beasley Lead UX Designer Oregon
Dan Callahan Developer Relations and Documentation Minnesota
Danny Coates Developer California
Edwin Wong QA California
Francois Marier Developer New Zealand
Gene Wood Operations California
Hannah Quay-de la Vallee Intern 2013 San Francisco
James Bonacci QA California
Jared Hirsch Developer California
Jed Parsons Developer California
John Morrison QA California
Karl Thiessen QA California
Katie Parlante Developer California
Lloyd Hilaiel Lead Developer Colorado
Ryan Feeley UX Designer Toronto
Ryan Kelly Developer Australia
Ryan Seys Intern 2013 San Francisco
Sean McArthur Developer California
Shane Tomlinson Developer United Kingdom
Tauni Oxborrow Program Manager California
Vlad Filippov Intern 2013 San Francisco
Zach Carter Developer California

Archive

2013 Q1 Goals

Project Description Status Contact
[FFOS] FXOS Identity Service in production
[Desktop, Android] PICL (Profile In Cloud) alpha1 add-on for Firefox and FX Android (Sync replacement)
[Special] Persona Sign-In Beta 2
[FFOS, Desktop, Android] Persona Service one data-center deployed on AWS
[FFOS, Desktop, Android] Improved Metrics
[Special] Mozilla IdP [STRETCH]


2012 Q4 Goals

Project Description Status Contact
B2G Identity Integration
  • [DONE] native identity client code landed in Gecko and Gaia
  • [DONE] server-provided dialog, re-branded and integration tested
  • [DONE] deployment plan finalized
  • [DONE] performance optimizations for slow connections
  • [DONE] [STRETCH] unverified email support
 Completed Ben Adida
Continuous Improvement of Persona Service:
  • [DONE] Proxy IdP
  • [MISSED] Improved Metrics
  • [DONE] Improved QA Automation
  • [DONE] Scaling plan
 Team Signin
Design and Prototyping of Significant New Persona Features:
  • [DONE] Persona Password Manager pre-alpha release - delayed one week into Q1 because of holidays, but otherwise done, so marking it as such.
  • [MISSED] [STRETCH] Native Mobile SDKs

2012 Q4 Project Summary

Project Description Status Notes
Gombot On-Hold Post-Mortem Notes can be reviewed at:
Force Page Refresh

Features on ice (or dropped):

Name Description Status When Who
Key-wrapping Support for key wrapping and wrapped key storage. This allows other sites to encrypt data with a key that is unlocked (locally) with the user's BrowserID password. Designing & planning Q1 Ben Adida
navigator.id.share() prototype Developer API to allow users to easily share content with others Not started Prototype in Q2 Dan Mills
Remote storage API prototype Developer API to store data (files) in the user's preferred storage provider Not started Prototype in Q3 Dan Mills
API to me Developer API to access extended profile data for the user Not started Prototype in Q3 Dan Mills
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