OpenID (OpenID Connect)

OpenID is an open specification for authentication and single sign-on (SSO).

OpenID, which was first created in 2005, allows web sites and authentication services to exchange security information in a standardized way. In February 2014, the OpenID Foundation launched a new version of the protocol called OpenID Connect. OpenID Connect builds on the OAuth 2.0 authentication framework to improve identity management, interoperability and support for developing mobile applications.

The goal of OpenID Connect is to allow an end user to log in once and access multiple, disparate resources on and off the Web. The specification, which has the backing of numerous cloud providers, including Google and Microsoft, is expected to pave the way for companies to replace their on-premise identity and access management (IAM) systems with cloud offerings.