Study of authentication models and implementation of a prototype by using eID and Distributed Ledger Technologies.

The aim of this thesis project is to analyse the existing Self-Sovereign Identity and Digital Wallet solutions used to manage digital information which identifies a user, to implement a prototype of an infrastructure simulating the issuance and usage of a digital identity called ValID. This concept spreads in the last two years due to the pandemic of COVID-19 because of the impossibility of performing in-person activities. The reference model of this project is that of the Self-Sovereign Identity because of its principle of giving the user sovereignty over his personal information. To develop this infrastructure, a study of standards, protocols, the eDIAS regulation, and of Distributed Ledger Technologies (DLTs) has been performed. The IOTA Tangle has proved to be the more suitable DLT for ValID, due to its scalability with respect to blockchain solutions. ValID leverages on the IOTA mainnet, a network based on the IOTA Tangle, to store Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) and DID Documents representing the users. Giving sovereignty over his personal information to the user is an advantage having him the possibility to decide when and with whom to share it without relying on third-party intermediaries. This could be the beginning of a new era for security and data protection in the digital world.