Does your organization participate in InCommon or another eduGAIN-affiliated trust federation?

This question is asking whether your organization participates in identity federation systems specifically designed for educational and research institutions. InCommon is a trust federation for U.S. education and research organizations that provides a secure and privacy-preserving trust fabric for single sign-on access to online resources. eduGAIN is a global service that interconnects identity federations around the world, including InCommon. Why this matters in security assessments: 1. Single Sign-On (SSO): These federations enable users to access multiple services with one set of credentials, reducing password fatigue and improving security. 2. Standardized Authentication: They implement consistent authentication protocols and security practices across member institutions. 3. Trust Framework: Participation indicates your organization adheres to certain identity and access management standards. 4. Inter-institutional Collaboration: It facilitates secure sharing of resources between educational and research organizations. The assessor wants to know if your organization leverages these established trust frameworks, which can indicate mature identity management practices and the ability to integrate securely with educational institutions. If you don't participate, it doesn't necessarily mean your security is inadequate, but you may need to explain your alternative approaches to secure authentication for educational clients.