Zero-knowledge, anonymous verification and management using immutable databases such as blockchain
A verification system using additional factors such as biometrics can provide a tenant system with the ability to verify the identity of an end user. The enrollment and verification can be performed without sharing identity knowledge between the tenant and the verification ensuring the privacy of the end user. The enrollment and verification can also be performed in an auditable way while maintaining anonymity.
1. A method of validating an identity of a user at a verification system:
receiving a validation request from a tenant system; said validation request comprising an encrypted token associated with the user;
decrypting the encrypted token to extract a unique identifier associated with the user;
requesting first identity information from the user; receiving the first identity information from the user;
validating the first identity information with identity information previously associated with the unique identifier;
sending a first response to the tenant system comprising a status of success or failure based upon the outcome of the validating step and a first transaction identifier;
creating a first private transaction receipt comprising the first transaction identifier, a user identifier, an identifier for the tenant system, and user information;
creating a first public transaction receipt comprising the first transaction identifier and a hash, wherein the hash is formed from the user identifier, the identifier for the tenant system, and the user information.
2. The method of claim 1 further comprising a method of enrolling a user with the tenant system comprising:
receiving an enrollment request from the tenant system;
requesting second identity information from the user;
receiving the second identity information from the user;
assigning the unique identifier to the user;
associating the unique identifier with the second identity information;
creating a token comprising the unique identifier and the identifier for the tenant system;
encrypting the token with a secret key held at the verification system to form an encrypted token;
sending a second response comprising the encrypted token to the tenant system, and a second transaction identifier;
creating a second private transaction receipt comprising the second transaction identifier, the user identifier, the identifier for the tenant system and the user information;
creating a second public transaction receipt comprising the second transaction identifier and a second hash formed from the user identifier, the identifier for the tenant system and the user information.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first response comprises a timestamp and the second response comprises a second timestamp.
4. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first response is digitally signed and the second response is digitally signed.
5. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first public transaction receipt is digitally signed and the second public transaction receipt is digitally signed.
6. The method of claim 2 , wherein the first private transaction receipt and the second private transaction receipt are stored in an immutable database.
7. The method of claim 2 wherein the first transaction public transaction receipt and the second transaction public transaction receipts are stored in a public database.
8. The method of claim 2 wherein the first public transaction receipt and the second transaction public transaction receipts are stored in a public blockchain.
9. The method of claim 1 further comprising a method of auditing comprising:
receiving a third transaction identifier;
retrieving a private transaction receipt associated with the third transaction identifier; said private transaction receipt comprising the user identifier, the tenant identifier and the user information;
creating a third hash from the user identifier, the tenant identifier and the user information;
providing the third hash for validation with a hash included in a public transaction receipt associated with the third transaction identifier.
10. The method of claim 1 further comprising a method of auditing a transaction comprising a transaction identifier said method of auditing comprising:
receiving a public transaction receipt of the transaction said public transaction receipt comprising a third transaction identifier and a first hash;
retrieving a private transaction receipt associated with the third transaction identifier; said private transaction receipt comprising a user identifier, a tenant identifier and user information;
creating a second hash from the user identifier, the tenant identifier and the user information;
validating the public transaction receipt if the first hash and the second hash match;
disputing the public transaction receipt if the first hash and the second hash do not match.
11. A method at a verification system of auditing a transaction comprising:
receiving a public transaction receipt of the transaction said public transaction receipt comprising a transaction identifier and a first hash;
retrieving a private transaction receipt associated with the transaction identifier;
said private transaction receipt comprising a user identifier, a tenant identifier and user information;
creating a second hash from the user identifier, the tenant identifier and the user information;
validating the public transaction receipt if the first hash and the second hash match;
disputing the public transaction receipt if the first hash and the second hash do not match.
12. The method of claim 11 wherein the public transaction receipt is received from a public database.
13. The method of claim 12 wherein the public database is a public block chain.