Sessions at linux.conf.au 2012 matching your filters

Identity on the web is a complete mess. While there have been a few attempts (like OpenID) at solving this global problem, most sites out there either ask you to remember a unique username/password combination or choose to entrust a popular third party (such as Facebook or Twitter) with the task of holding user records for them. This sucks.

BrowserID is the open source solution we have been waiting for: a new web login mechanism with strong privacy protection where your browser is the trusted intermediary. Backed by Mozilla, it is based on the simple idea of a user proving that they own an email address, with a generous sprinkling of crypto under the hood. What makes this solution different is that it is designed to be simple (both for users and developers), distributed and privacy-protecting.

This talk will answer three questions:

• What problem does BrowserID solve?
• How does it work from the point of view of a user?
• How do I support it in my web application?

More information can be found at https://browserid.org and you can try it out for real at http://myfavoritebeer.org or https://www.libravatar.org .