At an event held in Tokyo on Monday, it announced that Adobe Systems, DAI-Labor, Deny All, M-Tech Information Technology, OpenNetwork Technologies, Senforce Technologies and Telewest Broadband are joining up.
Web services require identity verification for benefits such as single sign-on. While the Liberty Alliance already includes a range of vendors, nonprofit organizations and users among its members, the latest backers cover many technology bases, including document- and location-aware security.
It is notable that the group is now also talking about using its standards for applications such as digital rights management (DRM)--a vital future area for Microsoft, which holds key ground in the development of Web services.
Web services refers to a set of standards based around Extensible Markup Language (XML), which is used to link together software components that bolt together over the Internet.
The Liberty Alliance Project also announced that it has hired a full-time executive director, longtime Silicon Valley information technology consultant and ex-IBM executive Donal O'Shea. Until now, its ranks have been filled by full-time employees of its member companies.
Tony Hallett of Silicon.com reported from London.