Let’s Talk Cardano: The Future of Decentralized Identity with Veridian

The Let's Talk Cardano series provides an engaging platform for delving into the transformative world of blockchain and its impact across diverse industries. In our most recent episode, the discussion focuses on Veridian, an innovative solution from the Foundation that uses the Cardano blockchain and the KERI protocol to redefine digital identity. Featuring Jeremy Firster, Global Enterprise Adoption Lead, and Thomas Mayfield, Head of Decentralized Trust and Identity Solutions, the discussion explores the current challenges facing digital identity and the collapse of digital trust.

With daily data breaches and outdated authentication controls, the internet requires a new foundation built with security and identity at the core. Veridian offers a path forward through its use of a unique approach to digital identity. Key highlights from the discussion include:

• Quantum Resistance: The KERI protocol uses a "pre-rotation" key management system that hashes future public keys rather than publishing them. This method prevents quantum computers from breaking cryptographic algorithms, offering a future-proof defense against attacks.
• The Power of Key Event Logs: Each Veridian identifier maintains a key event log, a hash-chained data structure that records every key pair and piece of verifiable data associated with it. This offers an auditable, decentralized record of identity history.
• Authentic Chained Data Containers (ACDCs): Veridian uses ACDCs to create a cryptographically chained structure for credentials. This allows for a robust form of organizational identity where trust can be traced from the legal entity to employees and even to products.
• Decoupling Identity from Public Keys: Unlike many other systems, KERI's identifier is not the public key. This approach makes the identity globally interoperable for the lifetime of an individual or organization, even when keys need to be changed.
• The Role of Blockchain: Veridian does not require a blockchain for operation, supporting enterprise needs around data management and privacy. The Cardano blockchain serves as a tertiary root of trust, anchoring the verifiability of a decentralized identity and enabling a global watcher service for real-time security monitoring.

Listen to the complete episode and access a comprehensive overview of how Veridian addresses the core issues of digital identity—offering a platform that combines the proven technologies of KERI and ACDCs with the security and efficiency of the Cardano blockchain. The Cardano Foundation invites all interested parties to explore this open-source technology.