Protecting Privacy Using XML, XACML, and SAML

Abstract

This chapter describes how two new XML-based technologies, XACML (eXtensible Access Control Markup Language) and SAML (Security Assertion Markup Language) can be used to help protect privacy in e-services. The chapter is primarily a tutorial, briefly introducing XML, and then detailing the privacy features of XACML and SAML including XACML’s ability to ensure the expressed purpose of an action matches a purpose allowed for the resource on which the action is to be performed and SAML’s support for pseudonymity and communicating consent. Concepts are illustrated with detailed examples. The author hopes that readers will be both informed and intrigued by the possibilities for privacy applications made possible by XML, XACML, and SAML.