What is the decentralized protocol for user authentication that is considered an open standard?

OpenID is indeed recognized as a decentralized protocol for user authentication that serves as an open standard. It allows users to log into multiple websites without needing to create new accounts for each one, relying instead on a single authentication provided by an OpenID provider. This process enhances user convenience while reducing the overall number of passwords users need to manage.

The decentralized nature of OpenID allows for a variety of providers to facilitate authentication without tying the user to a single service, ensuring more flexibility compared to traditional password-based systems. This feature empowers users, as they can choose which provider they trust for authentication, enhancing their control over personal data and security.

In contrast, SAML is primarily used for exchanging authentication and authorization data between parties, but it is not inherently decentralized. Protected EAP (PEAP) is a protocol designed to securely encapsulate EAP (Extensible Authentication Protocol), focusing mainly on network security rather than being a generalized authentication method. OAuth, while it deals with authorization and permissions between different services, is not primarily an authentication protocol and does not operate in the same decentralized manner as OpenID.