SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR PROVIDING BLOCK CHAIN-BASED MULTlFACTOR PERSONAL IDENTITY VERIFICATION

1 . A system for providing block chain-based personal identity verification, the system comprising:

one or more computer-readable storage media configured to store a block chain;

a computer system comprising one or more processors programmed to execute computer program instructions that, when executed, cause the computer system to:

assign a verification address associated with the block chain to an individual, the individual having a previously verified personal identity;

store, at the one or more computer-readable storage media, an identifier of the individual and unique data relating to the individual in association with the verification address associated with the block chain, and

wherein the unique data is related to biometric data of the individual, and the verification address is derived from private and public keys;

obtain, from a client-side device, the identifier and unique data in connection with a request to verify the individual's identity, the request indicating the verification address associated with the block chain;

obtain the stored identifier and the stored unique data using the verification address indicated in the request; and

verify the individual's identity responsive to a determination that the identifier of the request and the unique data of the request match the stored identifier and the stored unique data.

2 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are also configured by machine-readable instructions such that verifying the personal identity of the individual is performed by signing a verification transaction on the block chain.

3 . The system of claim 2 , wherein the one or more hardware processors are also configured by machine-readable instructions such that the verification transaction is signed by a public node or a private node.

4 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the one or more hardware processors a r e also configured by machine-readable instructions to:

add or delete established verification addresses on the block chain by providing an interface for presentation to individuals via associated computing platforms, the interface being configured to allow a given individual to add or delete verification addresses assigned to the given individual so long as at least one verification address is assigned to the given individual.

5 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is caused to: sign, using the private key from which the verification address was derived, the verification of the individual's identity responsive to the determination that the identifier of the request including the unique data of the request match the stored identifier and the stored unique data.

6 . The system of claim 5 , wherein the computer system is caused to: store, at the one or more computer-readable storage media, the private key in association with the verification address associated with the block chain;

obtain, from the user device or devices, the private key in connection with the request to verify the individual's identity;

obtain the stored private key using the verification address indicated in the request; and

sign, using the private key, the verification of the individual's identity responsive to a determination that the identifier of the request including the unique data of the request, and the private key of the request match the stored identifier including the stored unique data, and the stored private key.

7 . The system of claim 6 , wherein the private key is also stored on the client-side device, and wherein the client-side device is a user device of the individual.

8 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the unique data is biometric information of the individual.

9 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the unique data is biometric information of the individual and is stored on the block chain at the verification address.

10 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the unique data is one of an image, a recording, or a template and/or biometric information is related to a fingerprint, palm veins, face recognition, DNA, palm print, hand geometry, iris recognition, retina, odor, gait, voice, a fingerprint hash or an eye retina hash.

11 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the unique data relates to one of a passport, extracted passport information, an identification card, extracted identification card information, a driver's license, and extracted driver's license information.

12 . The system of claim 10 , wherein the unique data is stored on the block chain at the verification address.

13 . The system of claim 11 , wherein the unique data is stored on the block chain at the verification address.

14 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is caused to: provide a first user, different than the individual, access to data stored at the one or more computer-readable storage media in association with the verification address associated with the block chain, the first user being provided access to the stored data based on verification that the first user has a first private key, the first private key being different the private key from which the verification address was derived; and

denying a second user, different than the individual, access to the stored data based on verification that the second user has a second private key.

15 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the unique data and the identifier are different from each other.

16 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system includes a server-side computer.

17 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is caused to: assign another verification address associated with the block chain to the individual;

store, at the one or more computer-readable storage media, additional unique data of the individual in association with the other verification address associated with the block chain, the additional unique data related to the individual;

obtain, from the client-side device, the additional unique data in connection with the request to verify the individual's identity, the request further indicating the other verification address associated with the block chain;

obtain the stored additional unique data using the other verification address indicated in the request; and

sign the verification of the individual's identity responsive to a determination that the identifier of the request, the unique data of the request, and the additional unique data of the request match the stored identifier, the stored unique data, and the stored additional unique data,

wherein the additional unique data is different from the unique data.

18 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the server-side computer system is caused to: obtain, via a user interface, a user-initiated command to add the other verification address as an address of the block chain for the individual; and

assign the other verification address associated with the block chain to the individual based on the user-initiated command.

19 . The system of claim 17 , wherein the computer system is caused to: obtain, via a user interface, a user-initiated command to remove the other verification address as an address of the block chain for the individual; and

de-associate the other verification address associated with the block chain from the individual based on the user-initiated command.

20 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is caused to store the unique data in an encrypted form as a hash of information.

21 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is caused to store the unique data on the block chain in a block as a new transaction.

22 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is caused to store the unique data as a template or vector of information relating to the individual.

23 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is caused to enable a user to create a new record on the block chain containing changes to the unique data.

24 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is caused to, in verifying identity, require M-of-N signatures for identity verification.

25 . The system of claim 1 , wherein the computer system is caused to provide access to personal data of the individual whose identity is verified.

26 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the computer system is caused to enable multiple levels of access to the personal data of the individual whose identity is verified.

27 . The system of claim 25 , wherein the computer system is caused to provide access to the personal data of the individual whose identity is verified by a merchant.

28 . A method of providing blockchain-based personal identity verification, the method being implemented by a computer system comprising one or more processors executing computer program instructions that, when executed, perform the method, the method comprising:

storing, by the computer system, a blockchain at one or more computer-readable storage media of the computer system;

assigning, by the computer system, a verification address associated with the blockchain to an individual, the individual having a previously verified personal identity, wherein the verification address is a specific location on the blockchain where information is stored and wherein the verification address is derived from a public key of a public and private key-pair;

storing, by the computer system, at the one or more computer-readable storage media, an identifier of the individual and biometric information of the individual in association with the verification address, at least the biometric information being stored at the specific location on the blockchain, wherein the biometric information is derived from biometric data of the individual;

obtaining, by the computer system, from a client-side device, a received identifier and one or more of received biometric data and received biometric information in connection with a request to verify the individual's identity, the request indicating the verification address;

obtaining, by the computer system, the stored identifier and the stored biometric information from the blockchain using the verification address indicated in the request; and

signing, by the computer system, verification of the individual's identity responsive to a determination that the received identifier matches the stored identifier and one or more of:

(i) derived biometric information derived from the received biometric data matches the stored biometric information, and

(ii) the received biometric information matches the stored biometric information.

29 . The method of claim 28 , wherein in the step of storing, the identifier is stored at the specific location on the blockchain corresponding to the verification address, and in the step of obtaining the stored identifier and the stored biometric information using the verification address indicated in the request, the identifier is obtained from the blockchain at the verification address.

30 . The method of claim 28 , wherein in the step of storing, at least the biometric information is stored as a new transaction record on the blockchain at the specific location on the blockchain.

31 . The method of claim 28 , wherein in the step of storing, the identifier and the biometric information are stored as a new transaction record on the blockchain at the specific location on the blockchain.

32 . The method of claim 30 , wherein in the step of storing, the new transaction record is linked to a previous transaction record by a hash of the previous transaction record.

33 . The system of claim 31 , wherein in the step of storing, the new transaction record is linked to a previous transaction record by a hash of the previous transaction record.

34 . The method of claim 28 , wherein in the step of storing, the biometric information is stored as a hash of the biometric data.

35 . The method of claim 28 , wherein in the step of signing, the private key of the public and private key-pair from which the verification address was derived is used, and the verification of the individual's identity is responsive to the determination that the identifier of the request and the biometric data of the request match the stored identifier and the stored biometric information from the blockchain.

36 . The method of claim 35 , wherein in the step of storing, at the one or more computer-readable storage media, the private key is stored in association with the verification address associated with the blockchain, and the method further comprises the steps of:

obtaining, from the client-side device, a received private key in connection with the request to verify the individual's identity;

retrieving the stored private key using the verification address indicated in the request; and

signing, using the stored private key, the verification of the individual's identity responsive to a determination that the received identifier matches the stored identifier, the received private key matches the stored private key, and one or more of:

(i) derived biometric information derived from the received biometric data matches the stored biometric information, and

(ii) the received biometric information matches the stored biometric information.

37 . The method of claim 36 , further comprising a step of storing the private key also on the client-side device, and wherein the client-side device is a user device of the individual.

38 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising the steps of:

providing a first user, different than the individual, access to data stored at the one or more computer-readable storage media in association with the verification address associated with the blockchain, the first user being provided access to the stored data based on verification that the first user has a first private key, the first private key being different the private key from which the verification address was derived; and

denying a second user, different than the individual, access to the stored data based on verification that the second user has a second private key.

39 . The method of claim 28 , wherein the biometric data is related to a fingerprint, palm veins, face recognition, DNA, palm print, hand geometry, iris recognition, retina, odor, gait, or voice.

40 . The method of claim 28 , wherein in the method, the biometric information and the identifier are different from each other.

41 . The method of claim 28 , wherein in the method, the computer system includes a server-side computer.

42 . The method of claim 28 , further comprising the steps of, prior to the step of storing, using the processor or processors to initially verify the individual's identity by use of government issued identification of the individual.