Microsoft has found an unlikely backer for its ambitious InfoCard online ID management system. At the RSA Conference here, Verisign dispelled the notion of a rivalry with Microsoft over identity management and announced that its new VIP (Verisign Identity Protection) network—which is backed by Yahoo and eBay—will work seamlessly with InfoCard in Windows Vista and Internet Explorer 7.
The surprising partnership is a big boost to Microsoft"s efforts to use authentication technologies to strengthen online transaction security and thwart the escalating phishing scourge. Verisign chief executive Stratton Sclavos used the spotlight of his keynote to outline how the two authentication technologies would work together to allow users to access both systems without complications.