Digital Identity

Digital identity refers to the online representation of individuals, entities, or devices. In the modern digital landscape, where interactions, transactions, and communications increasingly occur online, digital identities play a crucial role in establishing trust, enabling access to services, and ensuring security. Managing digital identities involves verifying and authenticating users, controlling access to resources, and safeguarding sensitive information against unauthorized access or manipulation.

Authentication

Emerging technologies for authentication are revolutionizing how digital identities are verified and protected. FIDO2 is an authentication standard that enables passwordless, phishing-resistant, and multifactor authentication across various devices and platforms [1]. By utilizing public key cryptography, FIDO2 enhances security while simplifying the user experience. Passkeys, the newest evolution of FIDO2, mark a significant shift towards more secure and user-friendly authentication methods, addressing the limitations of traditional password-based systems.

Federation

Federated identity management (FIM) solutions aim to streamline access to multiple online services while maintaining user privacy and security. FIM facilitates single sign-on (SSO) authentication across different websites and applications. By allowing users to use a single set of credentials across various domains, FIM enhances convenience and reduces the need for multiple passwords. Emerging technologies in this area include OpenID Federation [2] and the Federated Credential Management API (FedCM) [3].

Digital Credentials

Digital credentials are essential components of digital identities, providing verifiable proof of identity attributes, qualifications, or permissions. These credentials are tamper-evident and cryptographically secure, allowing individuals to assert their identity or qualifications without relying on centralized authorities. Self-sovereign identity (SSI) frameworks leverage Verifiable Credentials (VC) to give users full control over their digital identities in a decentralized and interoperable manner. Emerging technologies in this area enable the issuance [4], presentation [5], and selective disclosure [6] of digital credentials.

Literature

  1. https://fidoalliance.org/fido2/
  2. https://openid.net/specs/openid-federation-1_0.html
  3. https://fedidcg.github.io/FedCM/
  4. https://openid.net/specs/openid-4-verifiable-credential-issuance-1_0.html
  5. https://openid.net/specs/openid-4-verifiable-presentations-1_0.html
  6. https://www.ietf.org/archive/id/draft-fett-oauth-selective-disclosure-jwt-02.html