The Evolution of Identity Management with Eric Olden

Secure Talk Podcast

In this episode of Secure Talk we discuss the evolution of identity management with Eric Olden, co-founder and CEO of Strata Identity. Identity Management is at the heart of secure computing practices. And the requirements placed on it are ever-growing. Get it wrong, and you will expose the ‘crown jewels’ of your business. Today, many solutions rely on cloud-based Identity Management solutions for further security. How was Identity Management born, and where is it heading?

We discuss the early days of networked computing. How Eric recognized in 1995, while at Berkley, the opportunity of the Internet to break out of academic communities and become a space for business. In a moment of inspiration, he realized that the missing feature was security. To be successful a ‘web powered’ business needed to manage its users and their identities. Eric founded Securant Technologies in 1995 and developed some of the first Web Access Management products. Securant Technologies was acquired by RSA in 2001. Eric continued to stay at the forefront of Identity Management by working on SAML, the gold standard of shared authentication. Today, Eric is developing Strata and exploring how enterprise organizations are harmonizing multiple Identity Providers from Okta to Microsoft. Tune in to learn about the critical advancements shaping the trusted identity landscape from a leading expert and present innovator.

00:00 Introduction to SecureTalk

01:51 Challenges in Identity Management

03:16 Introduction to Eric Olden

04:33 Eric Olden's Early Experiences with Computing

08:39 The Birth of Identity Management Solutions

17:11 The Origin of SAML

23:13 Reflections on SAML Evolution

23:56 Introduction to OAuth and Identity Standards

26:22 The Vision Behind Strata

30:15 Challenges in Identity Management

33:12 Exploring Self-Hosted Identity Solutions

40:07 The Importance of Authentication and Authorization

46:39 Concluding Thoughts on Identity Standards