Microsoft has outlined its vision for secure and easy 'anywhere access', by announcing the upcoming availability of Identity Lifecycle Manager 2007, the public beta of Microsoft Forefront Server Security Management Console, support for Extended Validation SSL certificates in Internet Explorer 7, and new collaboration with industry partners to help combat phishing.

In their keynote address at the RSA Conference 2007, Microsoft Chairman Bill Gates and Chief Research and Strategy Officer Craig Mundie discussed how the industry can further advance efforts around trustworthy computing to enable people to access, share and use corporate and personal information without fear that it will be compromised, stolen or exploited. Although anywhere access is not a new term, Gates and Mundie expanded the definition to encompass a broad range of scenarios and technologies across networking, platforms and applications.

Bill Gates, chairman, Microsoft said, "Security is the fundamental challenge that will determine whether we can successfully create a new generation of connected experiences that enable people to have anywhere access to communications, content and information. The answer for the industry lies in our ability to design systems and processes that give people and organizations a high degree of confidence that the technology they use will protect their identity, their privacy and their information."

"To create the level of seamless, pervasive connectivity that will make secure anywhere access a reality, continued collaboration and cooperation across this industry is essential," Mundie added. "If we can work together to enhance trust, it will open the door to a transformation in the way people share experiences, explore ideas and create opportunities."

Gates and Mundie said that to further advance trust and enable anywhere access, they will focus on Evolution networks, with a goal of creating seamless boundaries for the network and the Internet so access for users is easier and faster. Also, the focus on the Evolution of protection, will help Microsoft to achieve this anywhere access vision. They stressed that there is a necessity for the industry to enable greater protection, not only when information is in transit but also when it is created and where it resides, whether on the server, the desktop or a mobile device.

The duo added that they will also focus on the evolution of identity, based on standard protocols that address heterogeneous infrastructures in order to reduce the complexity of managing identities across networks and the Web.

Gates and Mundie reinforced Microsoft's commitment to interoperability and its ongoing work with governments, organizations and partners to create and implement industrywide standards that enable systems and applications to work together.