Verifiable Credentials on the Blockchain

> Our goal is to help create an entirely new environment where individuals are the custodians of their official records and can easily share those records with others.

It doesn't look like they actually need a blockchain for this. They just need an archive of signed documents. They could use a website, or IPFS.

Blockchains are hot right now, but they solve a very specific problem: finding consensus on a history of transactions. If you need to prove that a document was signed at a certain point in history, then a blockchain can help. But you don't need one for any of the examples given in this proposal, such as hosting student transcripts.

Re: Verifiable Credentials on the Blockchain

#6

Post by cortesoft » Fri, Jun 03, 2016, 10:15 PM UTC

toomim wrote: post #5

> Our goal is to help create an entirely new environment where individuals are the custodians of their official records and can easily share those records with others. It doesn't look like they actually need a blockchain for this. They just need an archive of signed documents. They could use a website, or IPFS. Blockchains are hot right now, but they solve a very specific problem: finding consensus on a history of tr…

Yeah, I don't quite follow what the blockchain is adding to the equation. In their examples, it is still some central authority vouching for someone (saying, yes, they earned that certificate). That is exactly what PK signatures are for, you don't need a blockchain for that.

Re: Verifiable Credentials on the Blockchain

#7

Post by Aelinsaar » Fri, Jun 03, 2016, 10:35 PM UTC

toomim wrote: post #5

> Our goal is to help create an entirely new environment where individuals are the custodians of their official records and can easily share those records with others. It doesn't look like they actually need a blockchain for this. They just need an archive of signed documents. They could use a website, or IPFS. Blockchains are hot right now, but they solve a very specific problem: finding consensus on a history of tr…

If you needed cryptographic verifiability, a PGP signature could have done that, no?

Re: Verifiable Credentials on the Blockchain

#8

Post by jbpetersen » Fri, Jun 03, 2016, 10:51 PM UTC

toomim wrote: post #5

> Our goal is to help create an entirely new environment where individuals are the custodians of their official records and can easily share those records with others. It doesn't look like they actually need a blockchain for this. They just need an archive of signed documents. They could use a website, or IPFS. Blockchains are hot right now, but they solve a very specific problem: finding consensus on a history of tr…

Without a history all it takes is one leaked key to invalidate all credentials from a given source.

There are no guarantees against credentials being tampered with whenever a new version of that source is established.

Re: Verifiable Credentials on the Blockchain

#9

Post by tzm » Fri, Jun 03, 2016, 10:56 PM UTC

Excellent project. I think identity and trust are pending issues that need to be explored, perhaps with self-sovereign identity[1]. Curious to see how this project evolves.

Fwiw, I've been working on a digital credentialing system for education/training and have testing blockchain notarization. I was aware of this project and very happy to see it release.

[1] http://www.lifewithalacrity.com/2016/04/the-path-to-self-sov...

Re: Verifiable Credentials on the Blockchain

#10

Post by tzm » Fri, Jun 03, 2016, 11:02 PM UTC

toomim wrote: post #5

> Our goal is to help create an entirely new environment where individuals are the custodians of their official records and can easily share those records with others. It doesn't look like they actually need a blockchain for this. They just need an archive of signed documents. They could use a website, or IPFS. Blockchains are hot right now, but they solve a very specific problem: finding consensus on a history of tr…

> finding consensus on a history of transactions.

Precisely. It becomes a federated accreditation system that's verified from consensus and identity, rather than a centralized body. It's also immutable and irrefutable evidence of achievement.

edit: Could venture to say that this model is what the future of education could look like, where transcripts are determined by your participation on the blockchain.