Microsoft account

The Microsoft account (formerly Microsoft Wallet, Microsoft Passport,. NET Passport Microsoft Passport Network, and most recently Windows Live ID ) is a single sign-on service that is developed and provided by Microsoft. The user can thus log on to many websites and other systems with an account. The system went live in July 1999 under the name. NET Passport in operation and has more than 250 million users.

Overview

According to information made ​​daily up to 1 billion authentication processes. Microsoft, however, has caused the end of 2004 for a dramatic increase in the Passport subscribers: additions to the Microsoft - powered, free e -mail service Hotmail have been extended to Passport access, the Windows XP Registration Wizard asks stubbornly to set up access, and also for the permanent use of Microsoft offered free software like Visual Studio Express to register via the service is required.

Microsoft sites and services such as Windows Live, MSN, Xbox LIVE, Zune, Windows Phone and Windows 8 using the account as identification of users. Currently, there are nearly 100 partner sites. However, these are mainly operated by Microsoft itself provides services such as Expedia. Therefore Passport is now seen more as a portal solution.

There are two different ways to create a Microsoft account:

  • Use a valid existing e -mail address: Users can use their own valid e -mail address to create a Microsoft account.
  • Registration of a new Microsoft e- mail address: Users can also register a new e- mail account with Hotmail or Outlook.com. This account can be used to log in to sites with other Microsoft account enabled.

While Windows XP and later an option a Windows user account have to be linked to a Microsoft account, Windows 8 allows the user to log directly to the account on his PC rather than having to create a local user account.

The system used in Internet browsers used techniques such as HTTP redirects and cookies. No open standards, however, are used for backend and service software, and the protocols used are proprietary. The system is centrally created: both users and participating site must register with Microsoft. Authentication is only possible via the Passport server from Microsoft. Each user is assigned a 64 -bit number, called the Passport User ID ( PUID ). The PUID is transmitted with each transaction at the participating service provider.

As a competing offer was initiated by some companies, the Liberty Alliance Project. Another, also decentralized alternative is the OpenID project.

Wide dissemination Microsoft Passport has never achieved as single sign -on system. As part of the. Net Framework 3.0 Microsoft CardSpace was published, a new method for identity management.

Since 2007 the term. NET Passport only rarely or not at all used. With the introduction of Windows Live NET Passport was ( with Hotmail, which briefly was called Live Mail ) also. Fed into Windows Live Project. In the meantime, was the name for the network, therefore Windows Live ID. 2012 the service was renamed Microsoft account.

Functions

Functions of a Microsoft account include:

  • Update the user information such as first and last name, address, etc. which are associated with the account
  • Update the user settings, such as preferred language, or the settings for e -mail communication
  • Change or Reset password
  • Close the Account
  • Show Invoice data associated with the account;
  • Linking multiple Microsoft accounts
Windows Phone 7 Expedia, Inc. Webbrowser Technical standard
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