Abstract: The disclosed technology is generally directed to a distributed query-and-command system. In one example of the technology, in a trusted execution environment (TEE) of a first node, database code of the first node and distributed ledger code of the first node is executed, such that execution of the distributed ledger code of the first node instantiates a first instance of a distributed ledger of a consortium blockchain, and such that execution of the query-and-command code of the first node instantiates a first instance of a query-and-command system. The consortium blockchain is distributed among a plurality of nodes, and the query-and-command system is distributed among the plurality of nodes. A first transaction that is associated with modifying the query-and-command system is received. The first transaction is executed. Changes associated with the first transaction to the distributed ledger are persisted.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to identity technology. In aspects, profile data is mined to determine claims providers with which a user may be familiar. These familiar claims providers are used in conjunction with claims providers that are allowed by a relying party to determine a candidate set of claims providers that are both familiar to the user and allowed by the relying party. This candidate set of claims providers is then displayed to a user so that the user may select one or more of the claims providers to obtain claims to provide to the relying party.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to facilitating claim use in an identity framework. In aspects, a definition of a trust framework may be received and stored. A graphical interface may display a plurality of trust frameworks and allow an administrator to select which trust framework to instantiate. The graphical interface may also allow the administrator to define which rules of the trust framework to use in the instance of the trust framework. After receiving this information, the instance of the trust framework may be instantiated and configuration data provided to the administrator to allow the administrator to configure a Web service to invoke the instance of the trust framework to grant or deny access to the Web service.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to identity technology. In aspects, a user device requests access to a service provided by a relying party. In response, the relying party indicates required claims and may also indicate claims providers from which the required claims may be obtained. The user device may obtain the required claims from different claims providers, and send the claims obtained from the different claims providers in one or more messages to the relying party. The relying party may verify the claims or employ a validating service to verify that the claims are valid prior to providing access to the requested service.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to identity technology. In aspects, even though a cloud operator may control one or all of the entities with which a user device interacts, the employees and computers controlled by the cloud operator may still have insufficient data to determine a natural identity of the user based on interactions of the user device with the cloud operator's computers. Privacy boundaries on the user device control transmission of natural identity information to other entities such that, without user consent, computers outside of the user device have insufficient data singly or combined to determine a natural identity of the user.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to identity technology. In aspects, a user device sends a request for access to a service. In response, the service directs the user device to a user agent that may be downloaded or that may already exist on the user device. The user agent includes code that executes on the user device to create a security boundary. The security boundary controls transmission of identity information that may be used to identify a user of the device.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to facilitating claim use in an identity framework. In aspects, a definition of a trust framework may be received and stored. A graphical interface may display a plurality of trust frameworks and allow an administrator to select which trust framework to instantiate. The graphical interface may also allow the administrator to define which rules of the trust framework to use in the instance of the trust framework. After receiving this information, the instance of the trust framework may be instantiated and configuration data provided to the administrator to allow the administrator to configure a Web service to invoke the instance of the trust framework to grant or deny access to the Web service.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to identity technology. In aspects, a user device requests access to a service provided by a relying party. In response, the relying party indicates required claims and may also indicate claims providers from which the required claims may be obtained. The user device may obtain the required claims from different claims providers, and send the claims obtained from the different claims providers in one or more messages to the relying party. The relying party may verify the claims or employ a validating service to verify that the claims are valid prior to providing access to the requested service.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to billing for transactions involving a claims provider. In aspects, in conjunction with presenting a claim to a relying party, billing information is provided to a billing service. The billing information may include information to identify a claims provider that provided the claim and information that identifies the relying party. The information does not include data that can be used to determine the natural identity of a user that presented the claim. In response, a count is updated that can be used for billing. The count is not usable to determine the natural identities of users that presented claims to the relying party.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to identity technology. In aspects, profile data is mined to determine claims providers with which a user may be familiar. These familiar claims providers are used in conjunction with claims providers that are allowed by a relying party to determine a candidate set of claims providers that are both familiar to the user and allowed by the relying party. This candidate set of claims providers is then displayed to a user so that the user may select one or more of the claims providers to obtain claims to provide to the relying party.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to identity technology. In aspects, even though a cloud operator may control one or all of the entities with which a user device interacts, the employees and computers controlled by the cloud operator may still have insufficient data to determine a natural identity of the user based on interactions of the user device with the cloud operator's computers. Privacy boundaries on the user device control transmission of natural identity information to other entities such that, without user consent, computers outside of the user device have insufficient data singly or combined to determine a natural identity of the user.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to identity technology. In aspects, a user device sends a request for access to a service. In response, the service directs the user device to a user agent that may be downloaded or that may already exist on the user device. The user agent includes code that executes on the user device to create a security boundary. The security boundary controls transmission of identity information that may be used to identify a user of the device.