computer science

PrivacyIDEA

PrivacyIDEA is a computer science topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand PrivacyIDEA rather than just read about it. In short: privacyIDEA is a two factor authentication system which is multi-tenency- and multi-instance-capable. It is open source, written in Python and hosted at GitHub. privacyIDEA is a LinOTP's fork from 2014.

Key takeaways

PrivacyIDEA belongs to computer science; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect PrivacyIDEA to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of PrivacyIDEA from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

privacyIDEA is a two factor authentication system which is multi-tenency- and multi-instance-capable. It is open source, written in Python and hosted at GitHub. privacyIDEA is a LinOTP's fork from 2014.

Fields of use privacyIDEA provides an authentication backend for various kinds of applications (including SSH, VPN, as well as web applications such as ownCloud). Thus it is meant to replace classical proprietary two factor authentication systems such as RSA SecurID or Vasco. It supports single sign-on via SAML. It is also possible to login with a second factor to Windows desktops using a privacyIDEA Credential Provider.

Installation privacyIDEA runs on-premises as a web application on a Linux system. It can be set up quickly and easily. It can run on Debian, Ubuntu and RedHat.

Authentication devices privacyIDEA supports a wide variety of authentication devices. Amongst those are hardware tokens like Feitian C200, the Yubikey by Yubico or other U2F/WebAuthn devices. Many smartphone apps compliant with HOTP and TOTP are also supported.

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with PrivacyIDEA

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what PrivacyIDEA claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In computer science, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to PrivacyIDEA before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about PrivacyIDEA ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of PrivacyIDEA

In research: PrivacyIDEA appears in computer science research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses PrivacyIDEA in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: PrivacyIDEA is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Authentication methods, Computer access control, Computer security software, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for PrivacyIDEA outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study PrivacyIDEA in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what PrivacyIDEA means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain PrivacyIDEA out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is PrivacyIDEA in simple terms?

Why does PrivacyIDEA matter?

Because it connects several computer science ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study PrivacyIDEA?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on PrivacyIDEA.