Identity can be a complex thing to discuss, but in terms of security, it’s fairly straightforward. You either are who you say you are, or you’re not. With the metaverse taking off, individuals will need to be careful about how they are authenticating their accounts and identities, but what does this mean for businesses?
To get to the root of this issue, we need to look at the idea behind a global identity system and how it ties into the metaverse.
Exploring the Global Identity System
A global identity system is one that has an infrastructure in place for a user to manage their online presence. It could be a single identity or it could be multiple identities, each with different purposes in the metaverse.
This is a significant challenge, and one that needs to be both user-friendly and secure. Let’s take a look at how this approach could be implemented.
For Single Identities
The simplest option is where each user would have one online identity that follows them to each of the metaverse services they utilize. It’s like if it were managed through a centralized system. This presents several privacy-related issues, as it is more vulnerable to attacks. Creating this type of system that “plays nice” with the many different applications and services out there is sure to be a considerable challenge.
Despite this, a single identity is far easier to keep track of compared to having multiple. Centralization also allows for greater control, making identity theft and fraud much easier to track.
For Multiple Identities
An alternative solution to the single identity system is for multiple identities, each of which have specific purposes. This allows for greater privacy and security, as multiple identities mean that one being cracked doesn’t spell the end of the world for your identity security. Think of it like passwords; you wouldn’t use the same password for everything, right?
Just like with passwords, however, multiple identities are hard to keep track of, as anyone who has multiple accounts can vouch for. There is also no guarantee that the platforms would accept all identities, and trust could be negatively impacted.
Can a Decentralized System Work?
Borrowing the idea of a decentralized system from the metaverse itself, a decentralized system could be an effective way to approach identity management. Each participating organization could run a node in the system, allowing for security benefits from this approach. Edge computing could also allow for data processing in a decentralized infrastructure to improve performance and keep away from a single point of failure that is commonplace in centralized systems.
This system does have flaws, the chief of which is that the nodes must be synchronized for the system to keep itself safe. Plus, what happens when people implement a new and unfamiliar system? Can they truly maintain security when other, more tested and trusted solutions are out there?
The Future is Uncertain, But It’s Definitely Interesting
Whether or not these identity management systems will work in the future has yet to be determined, but it is certain that with any innovative and new technology comes growing pains, trial, error, and learning. These solutions might work, or they might make way for better solutions; only time will tell.
What you can rely on, however, is Bevlin’s record of proven success in helping Boston businesses with their IT troubles. To learn more about how we can support you both now and in the future, be sure to contact us at 781-679-0172.
