DP1

Simple

Simple to understand, implement in an interoperable fashion, and deploy on an Internet-wide scale

DP2

OAuth

OAuth-based to the extent possible

We may contribute bug reports and RFEs around extensibility, security, and privacy to the IETF OAuth group.

DP3

ID-agnostic

Agnostic as to the identifier systems used in an individual's various services on the web

This is in order to allow for deployment in "today's Web".

DP4

RESTful

Resource-oriented (for example, as suggested by the REST architectural style) and operating natively on the Web to the extent possible

DP5

Modular

Modular

For example, incorporating other existing specifications by reference where appropriate, and breaking down this Work Group's draft specifications into multiple pieces where reuse by different communities is likely.

DP6

Generative

Generative

Able to be combined and extended to support a variety of use cases and emerging application functionality.

DP7

Fast

Developed rapidly

In an "agile specification" process that can refactor for emerging needs.

DP8

Cryptography

We should avoid adding crypto burdens as part of our simplicity goal

Avoid adding crypto requirements beyond what existing web app implementations do today. This principle was discussed on 2009-09-10.

DP9

Privacy

Protect the privacy of the Authorizing User

The protocol should not provide ways to breach the Authorizing User's privacy, though out-of-band methods are beyond our control. Also, this principle should not be construed as support for protecting the privacy of other parties, or even the same person in a different role (the Requesting User). This principle was discussed on 2009-10-08.

DP10

Complexity

Complexity should be borne by the AM endpoint vs. the host or requester, if possible

We anticipate dozens of AMs (maybe lots more if corporations have them), hundreds of thousands of hosts, and hundreds of millions of requesters. This principle was discussed on 2009-11-02.

DP11

Authentication

Stay out of the authentication business as much as possible

There are many technology choices here. Some scenarios may need stronger authentication. OAuth will be our preferred means of service authentication per DP2, but even it could be supplanted. This principle was discussed on 2009-11-02.

DP12

User experience

Ease of end-user experience should inform our protocol design

Even though the goal for authorizing users is to allow them to set policy that can applied without inconvenience to them at run-time, the mechanisms of introducing hosts to AMs, setting policy at AMs, auditing access at AMs, and provisioning resource locations to requesters should be as easy as possible. This principle was discussed on 2010-03-18.

DP13

Digital signatures

Don't preclude strong authentication through digital signatures, and leverage widely supported signature solutions as options if a reasonable measure of interoperability can be achieved

We see opportunities to leverage JSON Web Tokens, which didn't exist when the group was first launched, and we have more overall experience with judging what is "reasonable" vs. "undue" crypto burdens now (see DP8, "Cryptography"). This principle mitigates the potentially heavy-handed effects of DP1 ("Simple") and DP10 ("Complexity") in forcing bearer tokens as a universal solution. Finally, this principle is consistent with DP11 ("Authentication") if we leverage a widely supported external solution for digital signatures and avoid defining a whole new one. This was discussed primarily on 2011-01-27 and 2011-02-10.

R0a

Access relationship service

Support the notion of a distinct online service for managing data-sharing and service-access relationships ("access relationships" for short) between an individual and his or her online services that request such access.

R0b

User-driven policies and terms

Allow an individual to select policies and enforceable contract terms that govern access, as well as data storage, further usage, and further sharing on the part of requesting services.

R0c

User management of access relationship

Allow an individual to conduct short-term and long-term management of access relationships, including modifying the conditions of access or terminating the relationship entirely.

R0d

Auditing

Allow an individual to audit and monitor various aspects of access relationships.

R0e

Requester-Host direct access

Allow requesting services to interact directly with responding services in a fashion guided by policy while an individual is offline, reserving real-time user approval for extraordinary circumstances.

R0f

Multiple Hosts

Allow requesting services to interact with multiple responding services associated with the same individual.

R1

Host/AM separation

It must be possible to provide Host and AM functions in separate Web domains.

Approved on 2009-10-01.

R2

Resource orientation

User data access and service access must be enabled through accessing Web resources that have URLs.

Approved on 2009-10-01.

R3

Correlation of Authorizing User by multiple Hosts

For resources at Host X and resources at Host Y, X and Y must not find out, through their relationship with the AM, that the same Authorizing User uses the other Host.

Approved on 2009-10-15.

R4

Representation-agnostic AM

The AM is not required to understand the representations of resources it is charged with protecting.

Examples of differential filtering of resources include photos of different resolutions, calendars covering different time periods or levels of detail, and locations at address vs. city level. Approved on 2009-10-15.

P1

Representation-agnostic AM

The AM is not required to understand the representations of resources it is charged with protecting.

We reworded this heavily and approved it on 2009-10-15 as R4.

P2

Terms persistence

A set of terms for accessing a resource must be accessible as a Web resource with a URL.

P3

Host impersonation of Requesters

A Host must not be able to impersonate Requesters in interacting with an AM.

This came up on 2009-10-01.

P4

Host correlation of multi-Requester activity

A Host must not be able to correlate the same Authorizing User's activity at multiple Requester applications.

Discussed on 2009-10-08; this is wrongly stated and should be rejected. See P9 for a replacement. Officially rejected on 2009-10-15.

P5

User AM choice

The UMA protocol must not negatively impact a User's prerogative to choose or even self-host the AM that will protect a resource on any Host.

P6

Host following authorization instructions

A Host must allow or deny Requester access to a resource according to a User's desires as conveyed by an AM access decision, or inform the AM of instances where the User wished to grant access but the Host did not or could not.

P7

User-defined constraint on access

A Host must not grant a Requester access to a resource in cases where the AM gave instructions denying access.

P8

Access audit log

A Host must inform the AM protecting a particular resource on that Host in a timely way of all successful Requester access events.

P9

Correlation of Authorizing User by multiple Hosts

For two resources on different Hosts owned by the same Authorizing User and managed by the same AM, the AM must not allow one Host to be able to discover the User's relationship with the other Host.

For example, a user might use the same AM to protect resources at LinkedIn along with their personal interests and hobbies. We reworded this on 2009-10-15 and approved it as R3.

P10

POST once

Ensure that it's possible for AMs to offer a "POST once" setting.

This is critical for payments and the like.

P11

Verifiable claims

Ensure that access-agreement claims have the option of being independently verifiable.

In a lot of cases, self-asserted claims are acceptable for forging access agreements, but having the option of claims that are verifiable by third parties – such as mediators in a dispute – can allow for stronger agreements in a legal sense. This was discussed on 2009-12-10.