The Liberty Alliance Project has published a document outlining the legal issues enterprises should consider when networking their Web applications and identity systems with those of other businesses.The primer on creating circles of trust raises awareness around issues such as privacy, technical terminology, indemnification and dispute resolution, the organization said.The Liberty Alliance, composed of vendors such as Oracle, Sun Microsystems and IBM, has worked on defining technical protocols used for federated identity and Web applications. It’s now studying policy issues around the use of federated identity technology.While vendors are now producing standards-based products that enable the secure sharing of information, the legal consequences of what happens if things go wrong aren’t so well defined. Before linking their systems, two businesses have to create a contract, a process Liberty calls establishing a “Circle of Trust.”Since managing federation agreements between businesses is still a new area, “it’s helpful to have a checklist,” said Graham Titterington, principal analyst at Ovum in London. “It’s a step forward.”The document was written by Liberty’s Public Policy Expert Group along with legal experts, the organization said.–Jeremy Kirk, IDG News Service (London Bureau) Related content feature Top cybersecurity M&A deals for 2023 Fears of recession, rising interest rates, mass tech layoffs, and conservative spending trends are likely to make dealmakers cautious, but an ever-increasing need to defend against bigger and faster attacks will likely keep M&A activity steady in By CSO Staff Sep 22, 2023 24 mins Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions Mergers and Acquisitions brandpost Unmasking ransomware threat clusters: Why it matters to defenders Similar patterns of behavior among ransomware treat groups can help security teams better understand and prepare for attacks By Joan Goodchild Sep 21, 2023 3 mins Cybercrime news analysis China’s offensive cyber operations support “soft power” agenda in Africa Researchers track Chinese cyber espionage intrusions targeting African industrial sectors. By Michael Hill Sep 21, 2023 5 mins Advanced Persistent Threats Cyberattacks Critical Infrastructure brandpost Proactive OT security requires visibility + prevention You cannot protect your operation by simply watching and waiting. It is essential to have a defense-in-depth approach. By Austen Byers Sep 21, 2023 4 mins Security Podcasts Videos Resources Events SUBSCRIBE TO OUR NEWSLETTER From our editors straight to your inbox Get started by entering your email address below. Please enter a valid email address Subscribe