Smartphone Identity

Full Title

What is the best way to construct systems that give users the ability to carry Identity information in the mobile Digital communications devices?

Context

"Around the world cellular connectivity is more ubiquitous than clean running water. " is how Phil Vachon starts his discussion of "The Identity in Everyone's Pocket" an article in the Communications of the ACM. This requires development of technology solutions for the creation, storage and verification of digital credentials in a manner that respects the user's needs and desires. This page is a summary of that article as it impacts developers of applications running in those three environments.

The goal of essential all Authentication of Identity is the Authorization of access to some resource that is important to the holder of the Credential.

Storage

The User Experience on their Smartphone of acquiring, retentions and release of the information from the credentials on their smart phone will determine the rate of adoption of any new technology.

Verification

The Relying Party adoption will determine the adoption of the technology. The reader of the data in the Smartphone may involve another human or be fully automated depending on the type of Authorization that the user is seeking.