Mapping IDABC Authentication Assurance Levels to SAML v2.0

In December 2007, IDABC published a proposal for a set of four Authentication Assurance Levels, each of which characterises certain strength for an authentication process. It aims to foster interoperability by providing a common policy language for describing authentication assurance strength. The IDABC proposal integrates the results of a study on national authentication level policies covering the whole of Europe. SAML v2.0 is a technology which has the potential to provide a standard, machine-readable format for exchanging information on authentication policy according to the IDABC model. This report documents ENISA's evaluation of the feasibility of using SAML (as well as other alternative machine readable formats) to express IDABC Authentication Assurance Levels. The main goal of this report is to provide stakeholders with documented technical information in terms not only of gap analysis but also of guidance when trying to implement the IDABC Authentication Assurance Levels in real-world e-government applications.