Building Trust in the Web of Things: Decentralized Identity Management with Blockchain

Souhail Mssassi, Anas Abou El Kalam

Abstract: The Web of Things (WoT) consists of billions of devices, ranging from smart home appliances to industrial sensors, forming a vast and dynamic ecosystem. However, with this explosion in connectivity, securing the identities of numerous devices is a significant challenge. Traditional identity management systems, which are typically centralized, struggle to scale efficiently. They create bottlenecks and serve as single points of failure, potentially compromising the security of the entire network. This chapter presents a blockchain-based approach to decentralizing WoT identity management. Moreover, it redistributes control to the rightful stakeholders, fostering a more decentralized and equitable system. This shift in power dynamics enhances security, scalability, and trust, giving users greater control over their devices and data. Blockchain’s immutable ledger enables devices to self-authenticate and self-authorize interactions via smart contracts, eliminating the need for centralized authorities. We introduce a new framework that integrates Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) with blockchain, enabling secure identity and credential management for devices while enhancing privacy. Additionally, this chapter demonstrates how the proposed security framework mitigates key vulnerabilities in WoT identity management.

External IDs:doi:10.1007/978-3-032-07671-7_7