Proxy Web Servers and Authentication > Future Developments

Project Shibboleth

Shibboleth, a project of Internet2's Middleware Architecture Committee for Education, is investigating technology to support inter-institutional authentication and authorization for access to Web pages. The intent is to support, as much as possible, the heterogeneous security systems in use on campuses today, rather than mandating use of particular schemes like Kerberos or X.509-based PKI.
Adapted from http://middleware.internet2.edu/shibboleth/

Shibboleth \Shib"bo*leth\, n. [Heb. shibb[=o]leth an ear of corn, or a stream, a flood.]

1. A word which was made the criterion by which to distinguish the Ephraimites from the Gileadites. The Ephraimites, not being able to pronounce sh, called the word sibboleth. See --Judges xii.
2. Hence, the criterion, test, or watchword of a party; a party cry or pet phrase.

Adapted from http://middleware.internet2.edu/shibboleth/why-shibboleth.html and Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913).

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