Overview

Software

• SSONET: A library for secure network communication, which supports anonymous connections using the anonymity service AN.ON.
• IDMAN: The Identity Manager.
• PSMAN: A library used for the management of the identity data in a database.
• PKI: A service, which issues pseudonyms for users. Additionally, it can issue certificates, which state the service knows the identity of the pseudonym holder.
• Showcase: An example application for identity management.
• Web proxy: Enhancement of the web server Jigsaw, which enables pseudonymous connections to the web server.

What is Privacy Enhancing Identity Management?

"Management" summarizes the following actions:

• Storing personal data in the Identity Manager. The Identity Manager is a central place for the storage of personal data. Applications do not need to store these data on their own. So, a user can more easily get an overview over his personal data stored at the PC, and applications can get access to personal data using uniform interfaces.
• Control over disclosure of personal data during communication. The Identity Manager registers each item of personal data disclosed during communication on the network. The user can see, which personal data he gave to which communication partner. So, he is also enabled to apply for erasure or correction of personal data by a communication partner.
• Specification of rules for the disclosure of personal data. In the Identity Manager, users can configure rules, which specify, which item of personal data shall be allowed to be disclosed to which communication partner for which purpose. This helps preventing unintended disclosure of personal data.
• Usage of anonymous and pseudonymous communication links. Identity management supports usage of (cryptographical) pseudonyms in communication. By using different types of pseudonyms for different actions or applications, different anonymity levels can be reached.
• Usage of certificates and credentials for showing authentications under pseudonym. Attributes of a user can be linked to cryptographical pseudonyms by certificates. Such certificates can also be issued by third parties. By showing such a certificate, a user can proof, that he has a certain attribute, without revealing his full identity.
• Support of confidentiality, integrity and anonymity on the network communication. The Identity Manager supports confidentiality, integrity and anonymity on the network communication. Secure communication is the basis for Privacy Enhancing Identity Management, because it prevents from attackers eavesdropping at the network links.

Wherefore is identity management useful?

When a user communicates on the Internet, the communication is visible on the net, and of course to the communication partner. Using unique identificators (e.g. IP-addresses, Cookies, ...), transactions can easily be linked to users, and extensive user profiles can be established. Today, users can hardly prevent building such profiles. Surveys show that this is a serious reason for low acceptance of Internet services.

By incorporating pseudonyms, digital certificates and trustee services, Privacy Enhancing Identity Mmanagement can be a solution for the problem shown. Users act on the internet under pseudonyms, but (authenticated) personal data can be linked to the pseudonym by certificates. So, service providers can get authenticated user data without neccessarily knowing the user's real identity. Incorporating trustee services, disclosing user identity is possible in substantial cases.

The system suffices user's as well as service provider's needs.

Publications

Independent Center for Privacy Protection Schleswig-Holstein

Contact