Every time we access the internet, we unknowingly leave a data trail that contributes to our digital footprint. Besides regular users, organizations have digital footprintsDigital footprint, also known as digital shadow, is the trail of all traceable digital activities of a user on the internet. It mainly includes details about the browsing history, emails sent and received, information submitted online, social media posts, and so on.
made up of company data and employee activity. The rising number of cyberattacksA cyberattack is a digital assault attempting to gain unauthorized access to a computer, computing system or network with the intent to cause damage. These attacks can target individuals or enterprises with the goal to disable computers, expose, alter or steal data, or use a breached computer as a launch point for other attacks.
has shown us how this information can be exposed or exploited.
What is a digital identity?
A digital identityThe collection of credentials and information corresponding to the identity assumed by an individual, device or an entity within the cyberspace.
is created by an individual’s actions on the web. Data points that constitute digital identities typically include usernames, passwords, date of birth, driver’s license numbers, and behavioral patterns like buying history and browsing history.
However, users don’t have ownership over their digital identities saved on social media tools and other communicative tools. Instead, these identities are tracked and leveraged by organizations. Imagine the sheer number of data points related to our personal, professional, and financial information we are leaving behind every time we're on the web. Unfortunately, this data is scrutinized and accordingly used for advertisement purposes and also for forecasting our future behaviors.
What are decentralized identities?
Decentralization of identitiesAn IAM concept that enables users to maintain and manage their own personally identifiable information, as opposed to a centralized management system.
is the ability to shift control of user identities from a centralized authority to a distributed network where the final authority is the user, that is, each user has the power to control who gets access to their data.
What is blockchain’s role in identity management?
BlockchainA publicly visible and decentralized ledger that stores data in a chronological order in the form of individual blocks protected by a cryptographic encryption.
technology provides users with the means to control how their data is stored and shared. Blockchain represents a digital ledger that holds every user activity along with the time stamp with cryptographic protection. A decentralized identifier (DID) is a unique identifier controlled by a private key for verifying digital identities for a person or organization and is independent of identity providers.
The private key owner can have many DIDs linked to different activities that are completely segregated. Thus, blockchain serves as the foundation of a decentralized identity management system, addressing the shortcomings of native identity management systems that lack proper data storage, data sharing, and access control practices.
Benefits of blockchain in IAM
Traditional IAM systems are a challenge for large organizations because as data trails grow, so does vulnerability to scams. Blockchain technology is suitable to facilitate secure data transfer, tracing the path of information and ensuring interoperability across data repositories.
With digital identities linked to each individual, organizations can increase dexterity while boosting security in collaboration. Since the personal data of the individual is encrypted and stored in the user’s device instead of a common database, it can prevent forgery and theft by entities other than the user. As blockchain records cannot be interfered with, they don't face the same privacy and surveillance concerns that a centralized database does. It is essential for organizations to understand that balancing convenient access to information with stringent security measures requires a dynamic role that blockchain can fill.