Decentralizing Trust in Identity Systems

DIF's Credential Trust Establishment Working Group has released a new white paper titled "Decentralizing Trust in Identity Systems", describing how to achieve scaleable trust relationships in decentralized identity networks.

The problem of trust in a decentralized identity ecosystem comes down to the simple question of whether a credential verifier should trust the issuer of a credential. This problem becomes increasingly complex as networks expand to include many credential issuers and delegated trust relationships.

This paper explores different trust network architectures, comparing risks, benefits, and tradeoffs. It highlights the advantages of the Credential Trust Establishment Specification, offering practical recommendations for developing and managing of trust networks.

Highlights

Introduction to Trust Networks: A discussion on Trust Networks, with examples from various industries such as credit card networks, telecommunications, and online marketplaces.
Relevance to Decentralized Identity: How Trust Networks facilitate trust in decentralized identity ecosystems.
Architecture Comparisons: A comparison of API-oriented and data-oriented architectures, highlighting the advantages and disadvantages.
Credential Trust Establishment: An overview of the Credential Trust Establishment specification and how to get started.

Read the White Paper

To read the full white paper, please see the Credential Trust Establishment White Paper.

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