Macrokey
Macrokey is a unique self-sovereign identity (SSID) mobile app developed at Data61, CSIRO, that enables individuals (e.g. customers, staff, etc.), organisations and regulators to create their own digital identity (i.e. self-sovereign) that is independent of any third party identity platform and use their Macrokey self-sovereign identity to:
- Authenticate on the World Wide Web with data privacy and user consent in the hands of the user, without any intermediaries (server-free & password-less authentication).
- Create and validate digital credentials (i.e. provable claims) about the self and others.
- Control the sharing of those digital credentials and personal data with third parties (including other individuals and Websites).
- Cryptographically sign and verify data of any form (text, documents, images, etc.).
- Sign blockchain transactions on various chains, including smart contract interactions.
Value proposition
The Macrokey app adds value to both individuals and businesses in many ways.
For individuals
- A self-sovereign identity (SSID) app: Macrokey enables individual to create and control their own identity and certificates without relying on intermediaries or centralised authorities. It is also blockchain agnostic and works both online and offline.
- An enabler of trust using cryptography: Macrokey enables individuals to be trusted by proving their identity and claims for quick onboarding.
- A simpler, more secure way to authenticate: Macrokey enables server-less & password-less authentication on the Web, which leads to greater security, greater speed and reduced costs.
- A user-centric encrypted personal data vault: Macrokey brings back control in the hands of the individual for a more secure way to store, manage and share personal data.
For businesses
- Proof of digital identities: Macrokey provides businesses with means to robustly manage digital identities and reduce the risks of identity theft.
- Provable claims about staff/customers: Macrokey enables businesses to receive and verify provable claims from their customers and/or staff (e.g., age, address, membership, qualifications, driver license, COVID vaccination/tests, etc.).
- Proof of authenticity of digital content: Macrokey allows businesses to verify the authenticity of any type of content (e.g. legal documents and content attributions)
- Proof of Compliance through Data Governance: Macrokey allows businesses to collect data from their customers with provable user consent, which improves data governance.
Mission Alignment
The project aligns with CSIRO’s Missions in many ways. Macrokey can be leveraged to allow businesses and regulators to deploy blockchain based applications with ease while the complexities of cryptographic key management, identity management, authentication, blockchain interactions, data sharing, and access controls are dealt with in a server-less, no-API architecture. The Macrokey app can play a crucial role in forming a reliable blockchain agnostic data bridge inter-connecting systems, organisations and regulators across states, territories, and markets, while drastically reducing deployment costs. This can be key to drive trust in Australian agriculture and food exports, as well as regulation enforcement through the use of technology to certify critical energy metals, navigate Australia’s transition to net zero emissions and ending plastic waste. Macrokey can also be leveraged to increase our resilience and preparedness against pandemics through the use of self-sovereign identity technology to ensure data privacy when personal health data is being shared with venues, airliners and other stakeholders.
Relevant Publications
Three international patents. Contact us for more details.
Contacts
Technology Contact: Adnene Guabtni (adnene.guabtni@data61.csiro.au)
Business Contact: Tom Durick (tom.durick@data61.csiro.au)