Intro
WIDE is an open-source platform that allows users to link credentials issued by various providers to their web3 wallets* in a privacy preserving way, meaning that the WIDE server never has access to the user's personal data.
Currently only metamask and metamask-based wallets (like Brave Browser's wallet) are supported.
WIDE is currently in prototype status and is under active development. Features and functionalities may change as development progresses. Please proceed with caution and feel free to reach out to the WIDE team if you have any questions.
What is WIDE?
WIDE operates at the intersection of edge and cloud wallets to tackle the remaining and more challenging innovations within the decentralised identity paradigm. WIDE takes the opportunity to not only build decentralised identity bridges, but also connect governmental identity spheres with the emergent Web3 landscape.
WIDE is a direct response to the high market fragmentation and low interoperability, which originates from the identification of discrepancies between the state of the art in decentralised identity and the ARF. Thus, WIDE does not formally have a background that consists of artefacts or software code. In essence, WIDE fills the interoperability gap between eIDAS 2.0 and Web3 by developing a bridging service.
The WIDE bridge is use-case agnostic but has the goal of enhancing credential access for organisations domiciled in Web3 and protecting individuals’ data privacy rights at its heart.
WIDE combines existing technologies from traditional finance and the cryptocurrency sector with innovative DID concepts. It features a novel architecture that preserves privacy and user control, while freeing users from the responsibility of managing their data directly. Our DID bridging client relies on existing wallet solutions to empower DAOs to access user data without the need for custom integrations with individual identity solutions.
Holders, i.e. end-users, currently have to manage a number of different authentication mechanisms used by Verifiers to allow for their credentials to be verified. WIDE proposes a solution to the fragmentation of Holder claims being spread across multiple sources and multiple standards by bridging the gap between the different models. It provides the Holder with the ability to capture and store claims securely from different identity providers remotely, while linking such claims to their Web3 wallet. Furthermore, WIDE aims to provide Verifiers with the option to interact with the Holder via either OAuth or Web3 to ensure future-proofing.
Value Added
WIDE recognises the unnecessary complexity introduced by existing SSI applications and proposes to reshape the technology to fit better with the decentralised identity paradigm. Rather than trying to adapt existing digital identity applications to fit within technological requirements of existing decentralised technologies, aims to facilitate efficient user flows that are Web3-ready.
Actors
Holders
Holders can be organisations, individuals, groups of people. Holders may be legal entities or a natural persons, but in the context of WIDE the concept of holder refers to a characteristic they all share.
Issuers
Issuers typically are organisations or legal entities issuing VCs to holders. Holders can use their VCs, received from issuers, to present these to verifiers. Verifiers rely on the fact that issuer identities are well known.
The Issuer does not directly interact with WIDE at any point. For the purposes of WIDE, the issuers may issue credentials to users, which are then uploaded by the users themselves.
More generally, issuers typically employ a transaction based business model or provide credentials as added value to holders, which WIDE exploits by offering convenience features for the data management of such credentials.
Verifiers
A verifier is an organisation or entity that requests VCs from a holder to use the information in its presystems or authorise access for an identity to data. It refers to the entity, app or dApp, that requires one or more claims from the holder, and needs to verify their authenticity. Additionally, this business actor may also utilise WIDE dApp libraries to additionally verify a claim's validity against the DLT. Verifiers usually provide verification as a service through wholesale subscriptions or transaction based remuneration, but may also perform verifications as the data is necessary for their fulfilment of services to users.
Verifiers may also become issuers. You can learn more about that by reading Adding credentials from an issuer.
Disclaimer
All software code is provided as is and without warranty under permissible EUPL 1.2 licencing.
This research and development project is led by acurraent UG (haftungsbeschränkt) and part of the NGI TRUSTCHAIN #OC1. All software code is provided as is and without warranty under permissible EUPL 1.2 licencing. This project is funded by a cascade funding partner through a Horizon Europe Grant under the TrustChain grant with grant agreement number: 101093274.
