Issuing Verifiable Credentials

The Issuance experience pattern uses digital credentials to securely and efficiently issue verifiable proofs of identity, attributes, or claims. By storing verifiable credentials in a digital wallet, issuers can provide individuals and organizations with trusted and secure digital credentials. This enhances trust and security in digital interactions.

Issuance Process

Issuing digital credentials typically involves three steps: Authentication, Issue, and Store.

Authentication: The individual or organization verifies their identity using the service’s authentication method.

Issue: The entity requests the digital credential and the issuer generates and securely sends it to the requester's Xanadu ID Wallet.

Store: The requester stores the digital credential in their Xanadu ID Wallet for future use in accessing services or proving their identity or attributes.

Technology Required:

• Xanadu ID Wallet: A secure digital wallet application for storing and managing digital credentials.
• Digital Credential: A cryptographically secure and verifiable proof of identity, attributes, or claims.
• Issuer System: The system used by the issuer to generate and distribute digital credentials.

Benefits of issuing digital credentials

Problem: Traditional credential methods, like paper documents or centralized databases, are prone to forgery, loss, and breaches. They often lack the security and flexibility needed in the digital age.

Benefits: Digital credentials offer a secure, user-friendly method for issuing verifiable credentials. They provide cryptographic assurance, reduce the risk of forgery and data breaches, and streamline the issuance process, improving efficiency and aligning with best practices in digital identity management.

Suitable use cases

Most trusted registries traditionally issue credentials through conventional methods. To future-proof credential issuance, digital trust solutions augment and embed within existing services, providing a secure and flexible approach for the digital age.

Consider Issuance of Digital Credentials If:

• New or Existing Services: Digital trust benefits both new and existing services, enabling secure credential issuance and extending into signing, accessing, and messaging through the Xanadu ID Wallet app.
• Need for Credential Issuance: If your service requires issuing credentials for identity verification, attributes, or claims, digital trust offers a secure and efficient solution.

Examples of implementation

Below are examples illustrating the Issuance pattern through a sequence diagram and a real-world case study.

Sequence Diagram:

The following sequence diagram visualizes the Issuance pattern using digital credentials. It demonstrates the process of a user (Holder) requesting and receiving a digital credential from an issuer.

Lawyer Use Case:

This practical implementation of digital trust is currently being employed by the Government of British Columbia in the justice sector. Lawyers get issued a credential from the Law Society of B.C. that proves their practicing status (Member credential) and are issued a credential from the BC government (Person credential) which can be used together or separately for a variety of services.

Source: Digital Trust Tooklit