Blockchain Identity Verification with Privacy Protection
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Solution Overview
Problem
The existing blockchain-based identity verification method proposed by MIT lacks privacy protection, allowing unauthorized parties to access and verify an individual's identity without consent, posing a confidentiality issue.
Innovation Solution
A method that uses a public blockchain to protect user identity data with confidentially protected data linked to random user-specific data, ensuring only authorized parties can verify identity by reading proof data from the public database, which is associated with transaction data indicating electronic currency transfer, thus maintaining privacy.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If identity elements are stored in a public blockchain database for verification, then identity verification capability is improved, but user privacy and confidentiality are compromised
Solution Approach 1:
The identity verification system is segmented into multiple independent components: identity elements are separated from their hashed representations, and verification is performed through distributed blockchain nodes rather than a centralized authority. This segmentation allows the system to maintain verification capability while preventing any single point from exposing complete identity information.
Solution Approach 2:
Cryptographic hash functions serve as intermediaries between identity elements and their storage in the public blockchain. The hash function transforms sensitive identity data into irreversible cryptographic representations that can be publicly verified without revealing the original information. This intermediary layer enables verification while preserving confidentiality.
2Reliability
If transaction data is made public for verification purposes, then transparency and trust are improved, but sensitive user information becomes accessible to unauthorized parties
Solution Approach 1:
Sensitive information is extracted from the public transaction data through cryptographic hashing. Only the hashed representations of identity elements are stored on the public blockchain, while the original sensitive data remains private. This extraction allows transparency of verification processes without exposing harmful sensitive information to unauthorized access.
3Ease of operation
If identity verification is simplified for public access, then ease of operation is improved, but security and authorization control are weakened
Solution Approach 1:
The blockchain network performs automatic verification of identity hashes through consensus mechanisms among distributed nodes. This self-service verification eliminates the need for complex manual authorization processes while maintaining strong security through cryptographic proof. The system achieves both simplicity for users and robust security through automated decentralized validation.
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for verifying the identity of a user (U), comprising the following steps implemented by an identity verification device (3): • reading from a public database (4) any confidentially protected data previously generated by an identity verification device (1) from an identity element of a user (U) and from at least one random data specific to the user (U), • verification (120) of compliance with a condition on the confidentially protected data found in the public database (4), • implementation of a predetermined processing for the user (U) only if the condition is met.The public database is of the blockchain type and the confidentially protected data generated by the identity verification device (1) is associated in the public database (4) with initial transaction data indicating that the identity verification device (1) has transferred a predetermined amount of electronic money to a beneficiary.