OpenID, an open digital identity management and authentication framework

OpenID is an Open Digital Identity Management and Authentication Framework on the Internet, Compared with traditional digital identity management systems, it has main characteristics of URI/URL based, decentralized management and user centric philosophy. In the web 2.0 era with flourishing web applications and Internet services, as a new technology, OpenID reduces accounts registration and identity management errands for Internet users, it provides a single sign on mechanism as well. Focused on the 3 characteristics of OpenID, this paper introduces briefly its authentication mechanism, applications and developments; finally, some weak points of current OpenID specification and concerns are discussed.