SSC helps revolutionize digital credential security in Canada
An employee ID card provides access to a workplace and a health card provides access to care services. It is clear that physical identification cards are crucial to the day-to-day lives of Canadians.
But what if there was a way to make these cards more secure and convenient?
SSC is one of the departments participating in Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada's (ISED) Innovative Solutions Canada (ISC) program. This allows us to help identify and find creative solutions to scientific and technological needs, gaps or challenges facing the Government of Canada (GC).
In partnership with the Treasury Board of Canada Secretariat (TBS), SSC issued an ISC challenge called User-Centric Verifiable Digital Credentials (UCVDC). The challenge? To find a standardized method to issue and verify portable digital credentials across many different contexts. As a challenge sponsor, SSC is pleased to support the cutting-edge Canadian innovation with the challenge's ultimate solution.
What is the ISC program?
ISC is an ISED research and development procurement program. It aims to stimulate the development and commercialization of innovative technologies in Canada. Participating federal departments present problems and issue challenges. Canadian small businesses and innovators can then submit ideas that address the problem. This challenge approach puts the GC first in line to purchase the product.
Submission solutions must:
- be new and not currently on the market
- somehow support the department's mandate
Digital credentials, like physical documents, can provide information about a person, what certifications they hold and what services they can access. Examples of physical IDs include driver's licences, security clearance cards or training certifications.
The challenge solution offers a way to digitize credentials and access permissions through a blockchain‑protected app. For example, visitors to construction sites that require safety training before access must show physical ID cards to site supervisors. With a digital credential solution, the visitor can instead show their credential app for scanning. With the tap of a button, the app will answer a series of yes or no questions. The app then determines whether the individual has the required permissions to access the site. This happens without the ID ever leaving the visitor's phone. Digital credentials cannot be falsified, which makes them more trustworthy and secure than a physical card.
By replacing physical ID cards with digital credentials, this initiative will:
- increase security, as digital credentials pose less risk of theft or loss, compared to physical cards
- provide better privacy for credential holders
- save time and money, compared to producing and verifying physical credentials
- reduce human judgment error in reviewing credentials
- ensure the validity of digital credentials by using cryptography
The benefits of this technology are significant, as are its potential uses. For example, digital credentials could be used to ensure:
- controlled and secured access to government worksites
- secure purchasing of goods and services
- secured access and tracking of controlled goods
- streamlined work processes
SSC sees great potential for future applications of digital credential technology in both GC and broader contexts. Aligning with SSC's cyber security services roadmap, this technology can support a single secure digital credential. This will allow users to seamlessly and securely access the tools they need. Through the ISC program and its challenges, SSC is excited to continue supporting cutting‑edge and world‑leading technology alongside industry experts and innovators.