The Digital Dilemma – Solving the Authentication Gap

April 01, 2021

As the world looks at ways to go paperless with a host of digital solutions and applications, what does it all mean from a security and verification point of view? How are governments and businesses dealing with the “Authentication Gap”?

Many digital solutions are centered around a key platform, whether it be in the realms of Identity Access Management or a Document Management System. These platforms are typically responsible for data storage, cybersecurity and verification. To their credit, these platforms are particularly good in a closed loop environment. When users log into the secure environment, they can access their documents as well as verify and share these documents with others within the same environment. Many of these applications are now looking towards blockchain as an anchor for verification to further secure and authenticate original IDs and documents which significantly enhances the solution.

But what happens when a digital driver’s license or a certificate leaves the platform? How can users verify the authenticity of an ID or document?

Many businesses today still require a photocopy, print out or digital copy of a document for record keeping purposes when applying for loans, renting a property, or setting up a new account. A PDF version of an ID or document could be used in this instance but once it leaves the platform’s secure environment, how do people know it hasn’t been edited or photoshopped?

This dilemma is often associated with digital assets like PDF documents, and it is well recognized that there is an authentication gap when documents leave the platform.

One option is to try and force people to only use the digital platforms provided. However, in most cases there needs to be a more flexible approach due to free markets and globalization. Many centralized systems today have tried to use this approach which has resulted in increased time and cost to verify documents, as well as inefficiencies.

What if there was a solution that enabled users to continue to verify documents that had left the secured environment provided by these key platforms?

One such solution already exists.

Adding a VeriDoc Global secured QR code to a digital document is an effective way to prevent any changes being made to the document once it leaves the platform.

To verify the authenticity of a PDF export, a person simply scans the QR code using any mobile device. This triggers several technology checks, including comparing the document’s unique digital fingerprint with the key platform and the blockchain. VeriDoc Global also generates a digital fingerprint of the stored document in real time every time a QR code is scanned, to ensure that no changes have been made internally by hackers or bad actors. The verification protocol not only offers a stringent authenticity check, but it can also provide a third-party verification layer on top of existing authentication services.

Figure 1: Solving the authentication gap when a document leaves a secure environment.

The combination of a barcode, digital fingerprint and blockchain has been patented by VeriDoc Global in over 90 countries and can be integrated easily into any platform via APIs in less than a week.

The solution is highly flexible and technology agnostic. It can be applied to any blockchain, utilize any encryption hashing algorithm and any barcode.

For owners and stakeholders of identity access management or document management technology, this API can enhance the existing ecosystem as well as provide rapid access to world of blockchain technology.

To learn more visit: https://veridocglobal.com

This article was written by Daniel da Silva Lay, COO VeriDoc Global.

This article was first posted on Medium.