Blockchain Identity Verification with Selective Disclosure
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing blockchain-based identity applications face challenges in balancing privacy and trust, as they struggle to maintain confidentiality of identity attributes while allowing relying parties to assess trust levels without revealing sensitive information or linking identities to real persons.
Innovation Solution
A method utilizing a cryptographically chained list, where identity attributes are hashed using a symmetrical key, stored on a blockchain, and validated by a third party, allowing selective disclosure of attributes while maintaining confidentiality, with a reputation-based system for trust assessment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If identity attributes are stored on a public blockchain, then trust and verifiability are improved, but privacy and confidentiality are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts only the essential verification elements (hashes of identity attributes, validation signatures, trust indicators) from the complete identity data and stores them on the blockchain. The actual sensitive identity information remains off-chain, visible only to the identity holder. This allows relying parties to verify trustworthiness through blockchain-stored proofs without accessing confidential identity details.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces validation entities as intermediaries between identity holders and relying parties. These validators verify identity attributes and issue cryptographic proofs (signatures, hashes) that are stored on the blockchain. The intermediary layer enables trust verification while maintaining privacy, as the blockchain stores only the validator's confirmation rather than the raw identity data.
2Measurement precision
If all identity attributes are disclosed to relying parties, then complete verification is improved, but privacy protection is worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments identity verification into separate cryptographic proofs for different attributes. Each identity attribute is hashed independently and validated separately by validation entities. Relying parties can request verification of specific attributes without obtaining the complete identity profile, enabling selective disclosure while maintaining verification accuracy for the requested attributes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements local quality by providing different information levels to different parties. The blockchain contains cryptographic proofs with trust indicators specific to each attribute and validator. Relying parties receive only the verification proofs necessary for their specific use case, while the full identity attributes remain confidential. Each attribute can have its own validation signature and trust level.
3Ease of operation
If a centralized identity management system is used, then control and coordination are improved, but decentralization and user autonomy are worsened
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements self-service by enabling identity holders to directly control and manage their own identity verification process. Users can selectively disclose attributes to relying parties using cryptographic proofs from the blockchain, without requiring centralized identity management infrastructure. The system uses decentralized validation entities rather than a central authority, giving users autonomy while maintaining coordinated verification through blockchain-stored proofs.
Data Source
AI summary
A method for the confidential verification of an electronic identity includes applying block chain. The method allows an acting party to recognize a block-chain identity while at the same time a level of confidentiality of the respective identity and its identity attributes is maintained. A correspondingly adapted identity system and a computer program product with control commands are arranged to implement the method and/or operate the proposed system arrangement.