Decentralized Authentication via Distributed Ledger for Device Portability
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing authentication mechanisms are often device-specific, limiting their utility when users switch devices, and require independent authentication by each website, which can be cumbersome and insecure.
Innovation Solution
A decentralized authentication system that uses a distributed ledger or decentralized data store to authenticate device fingerprints, allowing multiple applications to trust authentication records from other applications, thereby eliminating the need for device-specific authentication and reducing reliance on single entities for authentication data.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If device-specific authentication mechanisms are used, then each application can verify user identity independently, but the authentication is not portable across devices and requires independent verification by each website
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system is segmented into three independent components: (1) device fingerprint generation on the user's device, (2) authentication verification by applications, and (3) decentralized storage of authentication records on the distributed ledger. This segmentation allows the authentication mechanism to be portable across devices while maintaining security, as each component can operate independently without requiring centralized coordination.
Solution Approach 2:
A decentralized authentication record stored on a distributed ledger acts as an intermediary between the user's device and multiple applications. This intermediary stores verified device fingerprints and enables trustless verification across different applications without requiring each application to independently verify the user's identity, thus solving both security and portability requirements.
2Adaptability or versatility
If centralized authentication data storage is used, then authentication can be verified by multiple applications, but single entities can control and potentially compromise authentication data
Solution Approach 1:
The centralized authentication database is segmented and distributed across multiple nodes in a decentralized ledger network. Each node stores copies of authentication records, eliminating single-point control and reducing the risk of centralized compromise. Applications can query any node to verify authentication records, maintaining multi-application trust while distributing control risks.
Solution Approach 2:
The decentralized ledger serves as a neutral intermediary that stores authentication records in a trustless manner. No single entity controls the authentication data, as it is distributed across the network. The ledger provides verifiable, tamper-resistant storage that enables multiple applications to trust authentication records without relying on any single controlling entity.
3Reliability
If traditional authentication mechanisms are used, then user identity can be verified, but user privacy may be compromised due to centralized data collection
Solution Approach 1:
The authentication system extracts and stores only the essential verification data (device fingerprint and authentication status) on the decentralized ledger, leaving sensitive personal information on the user's device. This extraction approach enables identity verification while minimizing centralized data collection, thus protecting user privacy while maintaining verification reliability.
Solution Approach 2:
The decentralized ledger acts as a privacy-preserving intermediary that stores minimal authentication metadata without exposing sensitive user information. Applications can verify authentication status through the ledger without accessing underlying personal data, enabling reliable identity verification while preserving user privacy through selective information disclosure.
Data Source
AI summary
Disclosed are various embodiments for authenticating users of applications using decentralized data models for storing a user's identity. A fingerprint for a computing device is received from an application executing on the computing device. An identity key associated with the fingerprint for the computing device is then obtained, the identity key being linked to a signed claim. The signed claim is retrieved and evaluated. The application executing on the computing device access is then granted access to the computing resource in response to evaluating the signed claim.