Wipro’s latest secure digital identity solution taps into the blockchain
Wipro Lab45, the technology services innovation lab and consulting firm Wipro Ltd., today announced the launch of its newly created Decentralized Identity and Credential Exchange service that uses blockchain technology to give users full control over their private information.
The new service, known as DICE ID, makes it possible to issue and verify credentials using tamper-proof, self-verified digital certificates. The platform stores personal information from certificate issuers in an “identity wallet” that is controlled by users and all data is encrypted so they can be sure that their privacy is preserved.
“Current online identification relies on the use of single sign-on services, which require users to share personal data with multiple third parties,” said Subha Tatavarti, Chief Technology Officer, Wipro. “DICE ID gives the power back to the individual, making it easier and safer than ever to manage the sharing of personal data on digital platforms.”
Blockchain technology works by distributing multiple copies of a single ledger across multiple nodes to spread cryptographically secured transactions across multiple copies. It creates a tamper-proof historical record of every transaction that occurred on the blockchain network.
By combining blockchain technology with an encrypted wallet that keeps personal user information private, DICE allows users to decide what type of information they want to reveal in their digital settings. They can also cut off this information whenever they want.
Wipro piloted the solution for select customers in September, and it is already being used in a variety of applications, including education, fintech, healthcare, government and metaverse applications.
Colleges and crowdsourcing communities have used it to create talent exchange through portable skills credentials for students and freelancers alike. Financial institutions have used DICE to manage user consent to share data for compliance and regulation, while preserving the privacy and confidentiality of their platforms. Metaverse platforms have used the platform to create community through pseudonymous identities and avatars.
All of this is made possible because DICE is built to be compatible with the World Wide Web Consortium’s verifiable open data model, which is designed to make credentials machine-readable and interoperable. As a result, businesses, communities, and protocols can safely exchange DICE credentials as long as they adhere to the standard.
Decentralized identity management using blockchain technology has been explored for years by a number of companies, such as Microsoft, which announced plans for its solution in 2018. Other solutions include Jolocom’s identity solution, which complies with the EU General Data Protection Regulation; ShoCard, which was acquired by Ping Identity; and Dragon Factor, a spinoff from the Walt Disney Co.-incubated blockchain Dragonchain Inc.
“We believe decentralized identity and verifiable credential technology will be a game changer resulting in a metamorphosis of the identity space,” Tatavarti said.
