Kantara Initiative to collaborate on role of Authorized Auditor 

The OpenID Foundation is pleased to announce that the Kantara Initiative - a global community focused on improving the trustworthy use of identity and personal data - has signed a Memorandum of Understanding to become an Authorized Auditor under the Foundation's independent conformance testing program. 

This latest news builds on last week's announcement which highlighted the first cohort to sign an MOU with the OpenID Foundation, committing to collaborate as Testing Service Providers in the forthcoming independent conformance test program - BixeLab, FIDO Alliance, Inc., Fime, Raidiam and TrustID Solutions. 

Authorized Auditors assess organisations applying to become Approved Testing Service Providers - independent entities responsible for conducting conformance testing against the OpenID Foundation's specifications. By signing the MOU, the Kantara Initiative is signalling its commitment to scaling conformance testing in a way that aligns with its mission and vision as a non-profit, and the needs of its community.

Eve Maler, Kantara Initiative Board Member, said: “I work closely with both Kantara Initiative and the OpenID Foundation. Kantara’s deep expertise in measuring assurance in identity and authentication complements the Foundation’s deep expertise in providing effective tools to implementers for self-assessing conformance. I’m excited that these organizations will collaborate in scaling trustworthy identity systems.”

This formalises a collaboration between two peer non-profit organisations with complementary expertise in identity standards and trust frameworks. The Kantara Initiative’s members span organizations across multiple sectors and geographies, bringing the breadth of experience and deep expertise in trust frameworks, assurance programs, and identity governance that the Authorized Auditor role demands.

Independent oversight at the heart of the program

The responsibilities of an Authorized Auditor include:

• Conducting the necessary due diligence to establish that a Testing Service Applicant is legitimate
• Conducting structured assessments using documented assessment plans and checklists aligned with the OpenID Foundation’s Requirements and Testing Service Assessment Criteria.

Supporting a growing ecosystem

The OpenID Foundation and the Kantara Initiative will continue to work together to enhance delivery of the Foundation's Conformity Assessment Tool, supporting implementers that need evidence of conformance with OpenID Foundation specifications and standards. As the program grows, the partnership provides the independent infrastructure needed to maintain its integrity and consistency.

Gail Hodges, Executive Director of the OpenID Foundation, said: “As the conformance testing program grows, independent oversight will play a vital role. The Kantara Initiative shares our commitment to trustworthy digital identity, and this collaboration strengthens the foundation on which the whole ecosystem depends.”

About the OpenID Foundation

The OpenID Foundation (OIDF) is a global open standards body committed to helping people assert their identity wherever they choose. Founded in 2007, we are a community of technical experts leading the creation of open identity standards that are secure, interoperable, and privacy preserving. The Foundation’s OpenID Connect standard is now used by billions of people across millions of applications. In the last five years, OAuth2 - the FAPI standard for interoperable, high security - has become the standard of choice for Open Banking and Open Data implementations, allowing people to access and share data across entities. Today, the OpenID Foundation’s standards are the connective tissue that enable people to assert their identity and access their data at scale, the scale of the internet, enabling “networks of networks” to interoperate globally. Individuals, companies, governments and non-profits are encouraged to join or participate. Find out more at openid.net.

To learn more about conformance testing and self-certification, please visit the OpenID Foundation’s FAQ section.

About Kantara Initiative

Kantara Initiative is a global community focused on improving the trustworthy use of identity and personal data. Its many and varied Work Groups nurture thought leadership and develop specifications that inform policy and standards across the identity ecosystem. Topics range from AI and Deepfakes to Privacy-Enhancing Mobile Credentials (PEMC), Shadow AI, Biometrics, and Trusted Transaction Assurance.

In addition to its work in the United Kingdom as an ISO 17065 Accredited Certification Body for the UK DIATF,, Kantara conducts conformity assessments and grants Trustmarks for the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) SP 800-63 Digital Identity Guidelines. To learn more, view their website at https://kantarainitiative.org.