Value chain for digital identities

Mechanisms, restrictions and the different phases

Abstract

Digital identities enable secure systems in many ways. Be it through proof of authenticity or as a basis for authentication, integrity through signatures or encrypted communication in many TCP/IP-based industrial protocols such as OPC UA or MQTT. Separately, the mechanisms are both significant and comprehensible. In combination over several integration stages from the component  manufacturer to an integrator up to the operator, who  operates several systems from different manufacturers, sometimes for more than 20 years, the result is a complex  construct that poses great challenges to all parties  involved. The challenge is to consider the entire life cycle of identities and to automate the processes for management. Approaches such as those presented in OPC Specification  10000-21 or RFC8995 can help. The article goes into the  mechanisms, restrictions and the different life cycle stages.