statement to a relying party about the identity of a claimant. SAML assertions may optionally be digitally signed." System capabilities In addition to creation, deletion, modification of user identity data either assisted or self-service, identity management controls ancillary entity data for use by applications, such as contact information or location. Authentication : Verification that an entity is who/what it claims to be using a password, biometrics such as a fingerprint, or distinctive behavior such as a gesture pattern on a touchscreen. Authorization : Managing authorization information that defines what operations an entity can perform in the context of a specific application. For example, one user might be authorized to enter a sales order, while a different user is authorized to approve the credit request for that order. Roles : Roles are groups of operations and/or other roles. Users are granted roles often related to a particular job or job function. Roles are granted authorizations, effectively authorizing all users which have been granted the role. For example, a user administrator role might be authorized to reset a user's password, while a system administrator role might have the ability to assign a user to a specific server. Delegation : Delegation allows local administrators or supervisors to perform system modifications without a global administrator or for one user to allow another to perform actions on their behalf. For example, a user could delegate the right to manage office-related information. Interchange: The SAML protocol is a prominent means used to exchange identity information between two identity domains. OpenID Connect is another such protocol. Privacy Putting personal information onto computer networks necessarily raises privacy concerns. Absent proper protections, the data may be used to implement a surveillance society. Social web and online social networking services make heavy use of identity management. Helping users decide how to manage access to their personal information has become an issue of broad concern. Identity theft Identity theft happens when thieves gain access to identity information – such as the personal details needed to get access to a bank account. Research Research related to the management of identity covers disciplines such as technology, social sciences, humanities and the law. Decentralized identity management is identity management based on decentralized identifiers (DIDs). European research Within the Seventh Research Framework Programme of the European Union from 2007 to 2013, several new projects related to Identity Management started. The PICOS Project investigates and develops