Digital Identity Archives - ESelfKey

Blockchain Meets AI: ESelfKey DAO and AlphaKEK Partnership

SelfKey — Tue, 26 Mar 2024 12:31:19 +0000

Summary

In the dynamic digital realm, ESelfKey DAO aims to stand out as the premier decentralized solution for digital identity management through the introduction of its flagship product, ESelfKey iD.

ESelfKey iD was crafted with Self-Sovereign Identity (SSID) at its core, aiming to return control of personal data to the user, thereby enhancing the security of digital identity management.

This characteristic, coupled with the utilization of Zero-Knowledge (ZK) proof and AI-driven proof of individuality, positions ESelfKey iD as the optimal choice for AlphaKEK.

AlphaKEK, an AI laboratory powering Web3 tools and applications with an advanced, impartial AI infrastructure, consistently strives to enhance the value and functionality of its ecosystem.

Their successful integration of ESelfKey iD SBT into their backend systems is crucial for ensuring the continued compliance and security of the AlphaKEK platform, particularly as it explores more immersive features such as airdrops.

In this article, we will delve deeper into ESelfKey DAO, ESelfKey iD, and the valuable partnership forged with AlphaKEK.

Highlights

A Brief Introduction to AlphaKEK AI
ESelfKey DAO’s Digital Solutions: ESelfKey iD
Partnership Goals
Conclusions

A Brief Introduction to AlphaKEK AI

AlphaKEK: Pioneering the Future

AlphaKEK.AI stands as an innovative AI laboratory driving Web3 tools and applications with its cutting-edge, impartial AI infrastructure. Deploying a suite of AI apps, AlphaKEK.AI offers the crypto community a distinctive fusion of functionality, entertainment, and utility.

Vladimir Sotnikov, CEO of AlphaKEK.AI, has deep roots in the AI industry, with connections extending to OpenAI and NVIDIA. This trajectory could potentially pave the way for ESelfKey DAO to explore expansion in similar directions down the line.

Exploring Their Mission

AlphaKEK.AI's suite of AI-powered products encompasses conversational and research assistants available on both web and Telegram platforms.

Leveraging real-time data, advanced analytics, and soon, AGI capabilities, these tools provide tailored, actionable insights for individuals and businesses seeking to navigate and capitalize on the dynamic Web3 ecosystem.

Included in AlphaKEK.AI's offerings are multiple AI Apps, such as a crypto news reports analyzer that continuously scans crypto news sources across the internet, generating regular updates and enabling users to create personalized reports.

Additionally, there's an uncensored chatbot and a market sentiment analysis tool.

Moreover, AlphaKEK.AI provides a Telegram bot, enabling users to access the latest crypto reports and engage with the AI chatbot directly through the Telegram platform.

ESelfKey DAO’s Digital Solutions: ESelfKey iD

ESelfKey DAO places a significant emphasis on individuality within its framework. In the ESelfKey Protocol, every member's uniqueness is highly valued as a means of safeguarding their digital identity from theft and forgery.

The goal is to establish a secure environment through AI-Powered Proof of Individuality, enabling valued members to engage in online interactions using trustless and secure methods.

ESelfKey DAO strives to deliver secure digital identity solutions. Leveraging robust credentials in cryptography and blockchain technology, its objectives encompass empowering users with control over their data.

ESelfKey iD: Revolutionizing Digital Identity Management

ESelfKey iD is a cutting-edge technology with a goal to revolutionize online identity verification. By leveraging its innovative on-chain credential system, ESelfKey iD aims to provide a quicker, more secure, and cost-effective alternative to conventional identity verification methods.

This novel approach to online identity verification stems from extensive research, user feedback, and collaborative efforts.

Aligned with the vision of industry experts such as W3C and the authors of the soulbound token paper, ESelfKey DAO aims to establish a modern and potentially more secure identity verification solution.

With ESelfKey iD, users may gain complete autonomy over their digital identities. They may efficiently manage, securely store, and selectively share their credentials with chosen parties.

This may not only foster user confidence but also serve as a deterrent against identity theft and fraudulent activities.

Overall, ESelfKey iD marks a significant advancement in the realm of digital identity verification. It may have the potential to reshape the landscape of online authentication practices.

Partnership Goals

The goal of ESelfKey DAO is to empower individuals to take full control of their private data, enabling them to securely participate in Web3 transactions while preserving their individuality.

Therefore, this collaboration represents a major stride in improving user experience and security within the AlphaKEK ecosystem, as ESelfKey DAO strives to be a pioneer in decentralized identity services.

User Benefits and Perks

This partnership offers several notable benefits, such as:

Seamless Identity Verification - Users can effortlessly verify their identities using a ESelfKey iD, thanks to the services provided by ESelfKey DAO for AlphaKEK. This is crucial for maintaining compliance and security standards, especially with the introduction of interactive features like airdrops.
Discounted Services - AlphaKEK users are entitled to a significant 60% discount on ESelfKey's identity verification service by utilizing the code ALPHAKEK. This substantially reduces the entry fee to just $10, making identity verification more accessible.
Airdrop Incentives - New holders of ESelfKey iD will receive an airdrop of 50 $SELF tokens, the governance token of ESelfKey DAO. This serves as an attractive incentive for users to engage with ESelfKey's ecosystem and participate in its governance processes.
AlphaKEK Benefits - owning a ESelfKey iD SBT will be equivalent to holding $99 worth of $AIKEK tokens when calculating a user's tier for accessing token-gated AI applications on AlphaKEK.

For instance, if a user already holds $50 worth of $AIKEK tokens, adding a ESelfKey iD SBT to their portfolio will elevate their total value to $149 worth of $AIKEK for the purpose of tier computation.

This would make the user eligible for Tier 2. Higher tiers give access to more powerful tools. Read more here.

Future Potential

The partnership between ESelfKey DAO and AlphaKEK presents mutual advantages, fortifying each entity's position within the digital landscape.

For ESelfKey DAO, the collaboration translates into amplified user adoption. Integration with AlphaKEK widens the scope of potential users, drawing more individuals into ESelfKey DAO's platform and ecosystem.

Furthermore, the partnership enhances the utility of ESelfKey tokens (SELF), incentivizing users to hold and utilize them by offering discounts on particular services and airdrop incentives.

On the other hand, AlphaKEK benefits from strengthened security measures by utilizing ESelfKey DAO's services. This partnership underscores AlphaKEK's commitment to providing a secure and compliant environment for its community, fostering trust among users.

Additionally, AlphaKEK can streamline operations and reduce costs by entrusting identify verification processes to ESelfKey DAO. This may allow ESelfKey DAO to focus on expanding their AI product suite and core competencies

Conclusions

As we transition further into the digital realm and entrust our personal data to online platforms, the demand for advanced digital identity management solutions surges, promising heightened digital security.

The partnership between ESelfKey DAO and AlphaKEK embodies this need for enhanced digital identity management.

Through collaboration, they leverage each other's strengths to drive innovation and instill trust within the community. ESelfKey DAO provides cutting-edge services, reinforcing AlphaKEK's commitment to security and compliance.

In turn, AlphaKEK's focus on expanding AI products allows ESelfKey DAO to concentrate on refining its identity management solutions. This symbiotic relationship not only streamlines operations but also fosters an environment of collaboration and mutual growth.

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Note:

We believe the information is correct as of the date stated, but we cannot guarantee its accuracy or completeness. We reserve the right not to update or modify it in the future. Please verify all information independently.

This communication is for informational purposes only. It is not legal or investment advice or service. We do not intend to offer, solicit, or recommend investment advisory services or buy, sell, or hold digital assets. We do not solicit or offer to buy or sell any financial instrument.

These tokens should not be purchased for speculative reasons or considered investments. By engaging with ESelfKey, you acknowledge and agree to the applicable terms and any associated risks. We recommend consulting with legal and financial professionals before participating in the ESelfKey ecosystem and related transactions.

This document may contain statements regarding future events based on current expectations. However, some risks and uncertainties could cause results to differ. The views expressed here were based on the information that may change if new information becomes available.

The Secret Side of Online Identity: Benefits and Risks

SelfKey — Thu, 25 May 2023 18:01:39 +0000

Summary

In the present, the vast majority of individuals are familiar with modern technology, the internet, and the notion of online identity.

Even though digitization may have not reached every corner of the world yet, most people are no strangers to these concepts. Especially among the younger generation, many have already established a digital presence and have been active online for years.

The integration of the digital realm into people's lives has unlocked immense opportunities for education, communication, and work. Technological advancements continue to push boundaries each year, with innovations like the metaverse and its captivating shared virtual spaces.

However, it’s important for individuals to grasp the concept of online identity, recognizing both its advantages and the potential risks it entails. Among these risks, identity theft stands out as one of the most impactful.

Considering the long-lasting and potentially devastating consequences of identity theft, it’s very important for people to educate themselves on the matter. Additionally, it’s crucial to raise awareness about this issue. Doing so can greatly empower individuals and help them protect their online identities from cyberattacks.

In this article, we will thoroughly discuss the concept of online identity and how it works, with the good and the bad. Additionally, we will discuss how ESelfKey may enhance security and privacy for individuals operating in the digital realm.

Highlights

What is Online Identity?
How Online Identity Works
The Benefits of Having an Online Identity
Online Identity Risks and Challenges
How ESelfKey May Improve your Online Identity Management
Conclusions

What is Online Identity?

A brief definition

The concept of online identity refers to a persona which people establish for themselves on the internet. Also called internet identity, online personality, or internet persona, it may be used in online communities and websites. It can also be a way of intentionally showing and representing oneself.

Although some people choose to use their real names online, some internet users prefer to be anonymous. They identify themselves by means of pseudonyms, which reveal varying amounts of personally identifiable information.

Additionally, an online identity may even be determined by a user's relationship to a certain social group they are a part of online.

Online Identity vs Digital Identity

Even though online identity and digital identity are often found in the same context, there is a notable distinction between them. The difference between online identity and digital identity lies in their scope and focus.

Online identity specifically pertains to the persona and representation of a person in the online realm. It encompasses the social identity an individual establishes in online communities, websites, and social media platforms.

It includes elements such as:

Usernames and profiles.
Personal information.
Digital footprints.

All in all, it is the perception others have of the individual based on their online presence.

Digital identity, on the other hand, is a broader concept that encompasses the information and attributes associated with any entity, not limited to individuals. It extends beyond just personal online presence and encompasses a wider range of entities and their attributes.

This includes organizational identities, system identities, device identities, and more. It focuses on how entities are identified, authenticated, and represented in the digital domain.

In simple terms, online identity refers to how a person appears and acts online, while digital identity is a broader concept that includes representing any entity in the digital world, such as people, organizations, apps, and devices.

Digital Footprints

While navigating the internet, it's important to remember that our online actions can have lasting effects on specific websites. These effects are referred to as digital footprints.

Digital footprints are the marks or records of our online activities and interactions that remain after using digital devices and platforms. They can include different types of data, like personal information, online behaviors, communications, and contributions.

Some examples include, but are not limited to:

Social Media Posts
Web Browsing History
Online Purchases
Email Communication
Online Profiles and Accounts

Social Media Posts

Any content shared on social media platforms, including photos, videos, comments, and likes, contributes to a person's digital footprint. These posts can provide insights into their interests, opinions, and activities.

Web Browsing History

Every website visited and the search queries made leave a digital trace in the form of browsing history. It can include information about the types of websites visited, articles read, products searched for, and online services used.

Online Purchases

When making online purchases, individuals leave a digital footprint through transaction records. This can include payment information, shipping addresses, and product preferences. This data can be collected and analyzed to understand consumer behavior and tailor personalized advertisements.

Email Communication

Emails sent and received, including attachments, provide a digital trail of personal and professional conversations. The content of these emails can reveal information about relationships, affiliations, and communication patterns.

Online Profiles and Accounts

The creation and maintenance of online profiles on platforms such as LinkedIn, dating websites, or gaming communities contribute to a person's digital footprint. These profiles often contain personal information, employment history, educational background, and connections. And they form a digital representation of an individual's identity.

It's important to note that digital footprints can have implications for privacy, security, and reputation management. The data accumulated over time can be used for various purposes, including targeted advertising, data analysis, and even potential misuse.

Because of this, it’s vital that individuals take extra caution when browsing the internet, especially when sharing private information. Even websites that appear trustworthy may be at risk of data breaches.

How Online Identity Works

On a daily basis, individuals rely on their online identities to access various applications. Certain websites play a pivotal role in everyday work, communication, and education. However, there are also online domains that serve as sources of entertainment or offer delightful distractions.

Here are a few examples in which people make use of their online identities:

Social Media
Online Gaming
Professional Networks
Online Communities and Forums
E-commerce and Online Shopping

Now, let's take a moment to briefly discuss them.

Social Media

On platforms like Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram, online identity is built through the creation of profiles. This may also include sharing personal information, posting content, and engaging with others. For example, a person's online identity on Instagram might include their username, profile picture, bio, and the photos or videos they share.

Online Gaming

In the realm of online gaming, players often create unique usernames, avatars, and profiles that represent their gaming persona. Their online identity in this context is influenced by their gaming achievements, playstyle, interactions with other players, and reputation within the gaming community.

Professional Networks

Platforms like LinkedIn focus on professional networking and career development. Online identity on LinkedIn is shaped by an individual's professional experience. This can include work experience, education, skills, recommendations, and professional achievements. It allows professionals to establish their expertise, connect with colleagues, and showcase their qualifications.

Online Communities and Forums

Though online communities and forums centered around specific interests or hobbies, individuals have the opportunity to participate in discussions, ask questions, and share knowledge. Online identity within these communities is built based on the content contributed, expertise demonstrated, and the respect gained from other community members.

E-commerce and Online Shopping

When engaging in online shopping, individuals create accounts and profiles on e-commerce platforms. Online identity in this context involves personal information, purchase history, reviews, and ratings given to products or sellers. It influences the trustworthiness and credibility of an individual as a buyer or seller.

In each of these contexts, online identity is constructed through the information individuals share, their online activities, and the interactions they have with others. It plays a role in shaping how others perceive them and how they navigate various online spaces.

The Benefits of Having an Online Identity

Because the wide majority of the world has already adopted modern technology, having an online identity has become a necessity. However, there are a multitude of benefits which come with having an online identity, namely:

Expanded Reach and Influence
Professional Opportunities
Networking and Collaboration
Personal Branding
Access to Resources and Information

Expanded Reach and Influence

Having an online identity allows individuals to extend their reach beyond physical boundaries. It provides a platform to share ideas, expertise, and creativity with a global audience. And this may potentially lead to increased influence and impact.

Professional Opportunities

An online identity can open doors to various professional opportunities. It allows individuals to showcase their skills, accomplishments, and qualifications to potential employers, clients, or collaborators. It acts as a digital resume, making it easier for others to discover and connect with them.

Networking and Collaboration

An online identity facilitates networking and collaboration by connecting individuals with like-minded people, professionals in their field, or communities of interest. It provides a platform to engage in meaningful discussions, share knowledge, and collaborate on projects, fostering valuable connections and relationships.

Personal Branding

Online identity enables individuals to shape and manage their personal brand effectively. They can curate their online presence to reflect their values, expertise, and unique qualities. This branding can help individuals stand out, establish credibility, and create a positive perception among peers, potential clients, or collaborators.

Access to Resources and Information

Having an online identity grants individuals access to a vast array of resources, information, and opportunities available on the internet. It allows them to tap into online communities, educational platforms, industry-specific websites, and research databases. This empowers them to stay informed, learn, and grow in their personal and professional pursuits.

Online Identity Risks and Challenges

As with any innovation, having an online identity does not come without risks. It’s important for people to be aware of these negative aspects and to take precautions to avoid becoming victims. Even more, it’s equally important to spread awareness and educate as many people as possible about these matters.

If proper security measures would be in place, the following situations could be prevented:

Identity Theft
Phishing and Social Engineering
Online Reputation Damage
Data Breaches and Privacy Breaches

Identity Theft

Online identity theft occurs when someone gains unauthorized access to personal information and uses it for fraudulent purposes. For example, a hacker might gain access to an individual's online banking account and use their identity to make unauthorized transactions or steal funds.

Phishing and Social Engineering

Phishing is a tactic used by cybercriminals to deceive individuals into sharing sensitive information such as passwords or credit card details by disguising themselves as a trustworthy entity. For example, a person may receive an email appearing to be from their bank, asking them to click on a link and provide login credentials. Hackers may use these credentials to gain unauthorized access to the victim's accounts.

Online Reputation Damage

In the digital age, a person's online reputation can have significant consequences. Negative or inappropriate content shared online, whether by oneself or others, can harm one's personal or professional reputation. For instance, a controversial tweet or a compromising photo shared online without consent can damage an individual's reputation and have long-lasting consequences.

Data Breaches and Privacy Breaches

Data breaches occur when sensitive information is accessed, stolen, or exposed due to security vulnerabilities in online systems. This can lead to the compromise of personal information, such as names, addresses, social security numbers, or financial data. An example is when a major retail company experiences a breach, resulting in the theft of customer credit card information from their database.

These risks and challenges highlight the importance of maintaining strong online security practices, being cautious with personal information sharing, and being vigilant about potential threats to online identity.

How ESelfKey May Improve your Online Identity Management

As online identities have become an integral part of daily life, it is crucial to prioritize privacy and security. Insufficient security measures or a lack of awareness regarding online safety can have long-lasting consequences for unsuspecting individuals.

Given this, ESelfKey aims to contribute to a safer digital future through the development of decentralized solutions. Decentralization has the potential to address numerous issues related to poor security in centralized systems.

One decentralized solution which ESelfKey proposes, and which may prevent data breaches in the future is ESelfKey iD.

ESelfKey iD

Designed with privacy and security in mind, ESelfKey iD may be the best solution for online identity management. Individuals who operate in the online world may be in charge of their private data, and this may prevent identity theft.

Because ESelfKey iD uses AI-Powered Proof of Individuality, unlawful access to a user’s private account may become considerably challenging. Artificial Intelligence is capable of detecting AI-generated images which bad players may use to try and compromise one’s online account.

And, with recurring selfie checks, ESelfKey iD aims to add an extra layer of security by continuously making sure that the user is who they claim to be. This way, security is enhanced and access to one’s private account is limited only to the user.

The goal is to enable individuals to operate in the online world confidently, so that people may enjoy the benefits of modern technology in a secure and safe manner.

Conclusions

The advent of modern technology has presented us with abundant opportunities for personal growth and advancement.

Utilizing online platforms and leveraging AI-powered tools offer numerous benefits in our day-to-day lives. Having an online identity has revolutionized the way we navigate challenges that were once formidable obstacles, such as remote work, distance learning, and long-distance communication.

To continue harnessing the potential of these remarkable opportunities, it is crucial that we take the necessary precautions to safeguard our online identities. The first step is to be well-informed and actively share knowledge and spread awareness.

ESelfKey strives to compile as much relevant information regarding digital identities, online identities, as well as privacy and security news in its blog. The more informed you are, the better the chances to prevent online security risks.

By prioritizing digital security, ESelfKey strives to empower individuals to embrace technology without sacrificing the safety of their digital identity.

Stay up to date with ESelfKey on Discord, Telegram, and Subscribe to the official ESelfKey Newsletter to receive new information!

Note:

By engaging with ESelfKey, you acknowledge and agree to the applicable terms and any associated risks. We recommend consulting with legal and financial professionals before participating in the ESelfKey ecosystem and related transactions.

The Future of NFTs: ESelfKey's Customizable Collectibles

SelfKey — Thu, 13 Apr 2023 11:30:58 +0000

Summary

Maintaining the privacy of our personal data is crucial for our safety and the safety of our loved ones as we navigate the online world. However, the question arises: how anonymous can we be before losing our sense of “self” in the sea of faceless identities?

ESelfKey introduces a possible solution with Customizable Non-Fungible Tokens (NTFs), called Normies.

ESelfKey iD may be the best approach to managing digital identities with the data owner at the helm. And, by attaching Normies to a ESelfKey iD, individuals may be able to build the outer layer of their online identity. With a wide variety of digital assets that can be combined in countless ways, Normies can be designed directly by the user, so that they will fit the user’s personal preference or needs.

This way, individuals may continue to express their personality and creativity online, while keeping the security of their valuable, private information.

In this article, we will thoroughly explore the possibilities SelfKey’s NFT packs offer, as well as how to obtain and mint them.

Highlights

ESelfKey iD and NFTs
SelfKey’s Customizable NFTs
NFT packs and How to Obtain Them
NFTs and Web3
Conclusions

ESelfKey iD and NFTs

A brief introduction of ESelfKey iD

ESelfKey iD is an innovative approach to online identity verification which may be a better solution than traditional KYC (know your customer) checks. It emphasizes digital security and privacy, so that individuals may safely navigate the online world.

One of the key benefits of ESelfKey iD is its ease of use and affordability, which may make it more accessible to users. The overall process is streamlined and easier, removing the need for complex and time-consuming traditional KYC checks. This may not only save time for users but also reduce costs associated with the verification process.

Additionally, the onboarding process with ESelfKey iD is quick and efficient, which may enable users to establish their online identity swiftly.

Furthermore, ESelfKey iD eliminates the need for repeated collection and storage of personally identifiable information (PII). Existing KYC checks are reused, which may lower the risk of PII display and reduce the potential for identity theft. This may enhance the overall security and privacy of users' personal information, which is crucial in today's data-driven world.

All in all, ESelfKey iD may provide a more accessible, efficient, and secure solution for establishing online identity while enhancing user privacy.

ESelfKey iD and NFTs

The ability to customize one's digital identity can be a powerful tool for self-expression. Individuals may be able to showcase their personality, creativity, and style in the online world.

To increase user-friendliness, ESelfKey introduces a unique feature that allows users to attach a distinct NFT series to their ESelfKey iD profile picture. This innovative component may not only add a touch of personalization and originality to the user's digital identity but it also reflects the growing trend of NFTs in the crypto space.

By embracing the boundless possibilities of this new element, individuals may have the opportunity to develop a digital avatar that perfectly aligns with their unique preferences and interests.

This customization aspect may empower users to truly own and personalize their digital presence. Such an element may result in a sense of ownership and confidence in their virtual identity. Furthermore, it may lead to a more immersive and enjoyable user experience. Members can express themselves in a way that reflects their individuality while increasing their privacy.

The addition of the NFT series feature to the ESelfKey iD platform is a testament to ESelfKey's commitment to user-friendliness, personalization, and innovation.

SelfKey’s Customizable NTFs

The Normies Project

The Normies Project aims to offer individuals an unparalleled experience in the world of digital assets. It consists of two well defined NFT collections, each with its own unique features and offerings:

Base NFTs
Wearables

What are Base NFTs?

Base NFTs are equipable avatars that can be personalized with wearables to dress up one’s Normies. With Base NFTs, all verified users may have the power to mint their own avatar. As there is no maximum supply, Base NFTs allow for limitless creativity and customization.

As an added bonus, every ESelfKey iD owner will receive one free Base NFT, making it accessible to all.

Users may express their individuality by customizing their own avatar with a wide range of wearables. Furthermore, they may use their Normies in virtual spaces, social gatherings, and gaming adventures.

How to obtain a Base NTF Avatar

Obtaining a Base NTF Avatar may be an exciting step towards personalizing your virtual identity in the metaverse.

The process is rather simple:

To begin, you'll need to go through a simple verification process.
Once you're verified, you'll gain access to the standard customizations available for your Base NFT Avatar. This may allow you to create a unique digital representation of yourself.
After customizing your Base NFT Avatar, you can mint it for free, making it officially yours in the virtual world.
With your Base NFT in hand, you have the option to further enhance your avatar by purchasing wearable packs. Community members may sell these packs, along with individual NFTs, on OpenSea and other popular NFT marketplaces.

These wearables and NFTs may help you express your personality, interests, and style within the metaverse. Likewise, they may add a layer of originality and individuality to your digital presence.

What are wearables?

Wearables are an exciting addition to the world of NFTs, offering users the ability to further customize and personalize their Base NFT avatars.

From hairstyles to shirts, hats, and beyond, wearables come in various categories, allowing users to express their individuality and style in the metaverse. By adding wearables to their Base NFTs, users can increase the rarity of their NFTs, making them even more unique.

Obtaining wearables is typically done through NFT packs. These packs may contain a wide selection of digital items that users can add to their avatars. The packs may also allow users to acquire new wearables to enhance their Base NFT avatars. This way, users may feel a thrilling experience of discovery.

With wearables, users have the power to transform their digital personas into something truly one-of-a-kind. This gives users a good opportunity to showcase their creativity and personality in the metaverse. All in all, wearables are a key tool in personalizing Base NFT avatars to make them truly original and special. Customization includes, but is not limited to: trendy hairstyles, stylish shirts, or fashionable hats. All of which may make your NFT reflect your uniqueness.

NFT Packs and How to Obtain Them

Purchasing NFT packs

Users have the option to purchase NFT packs, which contain a curated selection of wearables to customize their Base NFT avatars.

Depending on the chosen pack, users may reveal up to 10 different wearables, from hairstyles to shirts, hats, and more. The number of packs users can buy have no limits, which may offer members endless chances to design their NFTs.

Users can buy NFT packs, or redeem NFT packs using SELF tokens, minted by performing tasks that benefit ESelfKey DAO. This unique approach allows users to actively participate in the community. Active participants may mint tokens that can be used to obtain NFT packs and further customize their Base NFT avatars.

Alchemy

Members have the option to use their duplicate wearables for a chance to generate super rare wearables, adding an exciting element of rarity and exclusivity to the customization process. By utilizing duplicates, users can participate in a special feature that regulates the number of wearables in existence. This element may make them even more original.

This feature adds an element of gamification to the NFT experience, allowing users to engage in strategic decision-making to potentially unlock unique and highly coveted wearables.

Such an innovative approach may encourage users to actively manage their collection. Simultaneously, it contribute to the rarity and scarcity of certain wearables, making them highly desirable among collectors.

It may be an exciting way for users to participate in the evolution of their NFT ecosystem and potentially obtain one-of-a-kind, super rare wearables to further customize their Base NFT avatars.

Expansion Packs

With changing seasons, exclusive and time-limited collectible NFTs may be introduced into the packs. These limited-edition NFTs offer a unique opportunity for users to acquire rare and highly sought-after digital assets that are only available for a limited time.

With each new period or season, the NFT packs may be updated with a fresh batch of exclusive collectibles. This may add excitement and anticipation to the design process. These limited-edition NFTs may feature special designs, themes, or functionalities that are only available for a specific timeframe. This method may create a sense of urgency and exclusivity among collectors.

Users who are eager to expand their collection and obtain unique NFTs may be motivated to keep an eye out for these periodic updates and seize the opportunity to acquire these exclusive assets before they are no longer available.

This dynamic and ever-changing aspect of the NFT ecosystem adds a layer of excitement and rarity to the customization experience, allowing users to continually enhance and evolve their Base NFT avatars with new and exclusive collectible NFTs.

NTFs and Web3

In the future, Normies may play a significant role in Web3 games, granting access to exclusive areas within the games and providing bonuses to the play-to-earn rewards.

These digital assets will serve as keys to unlock special traits, areas, or uses that are otherwise out of reach to regular players. By owning specific NFTs, players may gain entry to exclusive areas of the game world, revealing hidden treasures, unique challenges, or rare resources and bonuses.

This integration of NFTs in Web3 games may add a new side of ownership and utility to these digital assets. Furthermore, it may allow players to not only design their Base NFT avatars. At the same time, it may also enhance their gameplay and overall experience.

It creates a favorable relationship between NFT holding and in-game achievements. This may incentivize players to collect and utilize these digital assets to gain an edge in the virtual world.

Conclusions

ESelfKey iD may offer a diverse range of assets that can be utilized for customization, allowing us to express ourselves freely in the online world while striving to safeguard our private information from prying eyes.

With ESelfKey iD, we may confidently navigate both Web2 and Web3 spaces, knowing that our data may remain under our personal control and ownership. However, we can still make ourselves stand out and be recognized by our unique and one-of-a-kind NFTs.

By utilizing ESelfKey iD, we may strike a balance between privacy and self-expression, creating a personalized online presence while increasing control over our sensitive information. Overall, it may be an ideal way to operate in the digital world with confidence and freedom.

Stay up to date with ESelfKey on Discord, Telegram, and Subscribe to the official ESelfKey Newsletter to receive new information!

Note:

SELF tokens have no monetary value and are not ascribed any price or conversion ratio by ESelfKey and its affiliates. Additionally, SELF tokens do not confer any right to participate in any profits or revenues or represent any ownership interest. SELF tokens may have value and utility solely within ESelfKey.

We use the "KYC" term here for general information purposes, without reference to particular legislation. Please check the laws relevant to you and contact us for the details.

A Guide to Using ESelfKey iD for Digital Identity Verification

SelfKey — Tue, 04 Apr 2023 14:31:35 +0000

Summary

As the world continues to advance technologically, we find ourselves more and more immersed in the digital realm. Our digital identities have become just as important as our physical ones, and with this comes the need for secure and reliable online authentication systems.

However, traditional identity verification methods are becoming increasingly vulnerable to hacking and data breaches. This leads to a growing need for decentralized and more secure alternatives to centralized systems.

SelfKey focuses on providing safer and more reliable identity verification solutions. These options may be easier and more cost-effective than traditional KYC (Know Your Customer) methods.

In this article, we will explore how ESelfKey iD works, as well as its innovative features and benefits. We will elaborate on how it differs from traditional identity verification systems and why it may be a better option for individuals in the digital age.

Highlights

What is a ESelfKey iD?
How does ESelfKey iD work?
Minting SBT
Access to ESelfKey DAO
Conclusions

What is a ESelfKey iD?

A brief introduction

ESelfKey iD is a cutting-edge technology that may revolutionize the way we verify our identities online. With its innovative on-chain credential system, ESelfKey iD may offer a faster, more secure, and less costly alternative to traditional KYC methods.

This new approach to online identity verification is the result of extensive research, user feedback, and collaboration. ESelfKey shares the vision of industry experts such as W3C and the authors of the soulbound token paper to potentially create a modern and reliable identity verification solution.

With ESelfKey iD, users may have complete control over their digital identities. They may manage their credentials, store them securely and share them only with the parties they choose. This may not only give users greater peace of mind but it might also help prevent identity theft and fraud.

Overall, it may be a significant step forward in the evolution of identity verification. And, it may have the potential to transform the way we authenticate ourselves online.

Why ESelfKey iD?

ESelfKey iD has a clear purpose - to provide companies with a streamlined and efficient KYC process that may improve compliance, reduce costs, and enhance customer privacy.

By leveraging blockchain technology, ESelfKey iD may offer a more secure and efficient way for companies to verify the identities of their customers.

This may not only lead to a better experience for customers but it may also aid companies in increasing their profitability. With ESelfKey iD, companies may enjoy a more efficient and secure system, while customers may enjoy a smoother and more hassle-free onboarding experience.

Ultimately, ESelfKey iD may be a win-win for everyone involved.

Ease of Use

For identity owners or data subjects, the ease of use when it comes to digital identity schemes primarily depends on how easy it is to enroll and use their credentials.

ESelfKey iD is designed with simplicity in mind, utilizing soulbound tokens so that users may easily produce their credentials using any non-custodial wallet.

With ESelfKey iD, the enrollment process may be as easy as a one-click option for users, with the heavy lifting happening behind the scenes.

All in all, ESelfKey iD may offer a user-friendly approach to digital identity schemes that may make it easy for users to produce, maintain, and use their credentials. At the same time, it might also provide a secure and decentralized solution that meets the needs of the modern digital age.

ESelfKey iD vs traditional KYC checks

ESelfKey iD may be a better alternative for identity verification, as it may offer a more efficient, secure, and user-friendly approach to KYC.

By using the potential of blockchain technology and smart contracts, ESelfKey iD may provide a secure, decentralized, and efficient identity verification process. It may have the potential to eliminate many of the issues associated with traditional KYC methods, possibly making the process more user-friendly and safe.

Not only that, but with ESelfKey iD, users may have complete control over their digital identities and they might exercise their SSID rights more easily than ever before.

How does ESelfKey iD work?

Obtaining a ESelfKey iD is a smooth and hassle-free process that prioritizes user convenience without compromising security and privacy. The streamlined procedure may ensure that users have access to a secure and private digital identity that they can trust.

The process

By following the simple steps outlined by the platform, users can obtain a ESelfKey iD quickly and with ease. The steps are as follows:

1. Users must first log in with their wallet and pay an entry fee.

2. The next step would be to undergo a KYC verification process. This method is designed to ensure that the user's identity is authentic and that they meet the necessary eligibility criteria.

The verification process typically consists of:

performing a selfie check.
providing personal information, such as name and address.
providing government-issued identification documents, such as a passport.

Additionally, users will not be able to create duplicate accounts.

3. Once the KYC process is complete, legible users are automatically approved.

4. The final step in the process is to mint the soul-bound ESelfKey ID NFT. This unique digital asset is generated using blockchain technology and is securely bound to the user's digital identity.

It might serve as proof of identity (POI) and it may be used to authenticate the user's identity in a variety of settings, such as:

online marketplaces.
financial institutions.
other digital platforms, such as social media and videogames.

Even more, as the concept of the metaverse gains popularity, the need for secure and reliable digital identities becomes increasingly important. ESelfKey iD emphasizes privacy and self-sovereignty. Therefore, it may be the perfect identity credential for the exciting products and services of the future.

Minting soul-bound ESelfKey ID NFT

Aggregating Multiple Credentials

By combining different SBT (soul-bound tokens) and identity credentials, ESelfKey iD may provide a higher level of verification for the user's identity.

Credentials which may be aggregated by a ESelfKey iD include, but are not limited to:

Metaproof.
KYC credentials issued by ESelfKey Network issuers.
Traditional accounts, such as: Google, Apple, Discord, Github, Twitter, and the likes.
Various identity tokens, such as Binance’s BAB token issued in 2022.

This implementation may have significant advantages over individual credentials, as it may increase the reliability and accuracy of identity verification. And, an increase in reliability and accuracy is crucial for online interactions and services that require trust between parties.

The more credentials added to the ESelfKey iD container, the more trust may be established, and the more reliable and secure the user's digital identity may become.

Furthermore, the integration of multiple SBTs and identity credentials within a ESelfKey iD container might provide users with unparalleled flexibility. This may enable them to add as many credentials as they require to establish their identity in a variety of contexts.

This feature may enhance the ESelfKey platform's versatility and utility. It might make it more appealing to individuals and institutions seeking a reliable and secure digital identity solution.

Essentially, ESelfKey's implementation of an aggregated credential system in its platform may be a significant step forward in the development of a strong and reliable self-sovereign identity ecosystem.

Attaching NFT series to ESelfKey iD

ESelfKey continues to prioritize user-friendliness with the introduction of a unique feature that may enable users to attach a distinct NFT series to their ESelfKey iD profile picture. This feature may add a touch of personalization and uniqueness to the user's digital identity. Even more, it might reflect the growing trend of NFTs in the crypto space.

Additionally, it may also enhance the user's experience by providing them with more options to personalize and showcase their digital identity.

Ultimately, the addition of the NFT series feature to the ESelfKey iD platform reflects the platform's continued focus on user-friendliness, personalization, and innovation.

Access to ESelfKey DAO

Obtaining a ESelfKey iD may provide users with numerous benefits that enhance their experience on the platform and beyond.

These benefits may include:

access to the governance of the ESelfKey Protocol.
the ability to mint SELF tokens.
participating in locking a POI credential.
exclusive access to member-only channels on Discord.
obtaining exclusive collectible NFT packs.
registering for KEY.ETH ENS domains.
enjoying instant login to partner apps.

Minting SELF tokens

Having access to the ESelfKey DAO may enable users to mint their own SELF tokens. The token might then be used for various purposes and services on the ESelfKey platform.

This feature may add value to the user's experience and may provide them with more control over their digital identity.

Locking

By locking KEY tokens on their KYC credential, users may mint SELF tokens. Locking credentials may be a way for individuals to demonstrate confidence in the accuracy of their data. This, in turn, may increase the validity of their credentials. Users may withdraw tokens at any time, although this will result in the termination of SELF token generation.

Exclusive Discord Channels

Access to member-only Discord channels may be another perk of having a ESelfKey iD. It may provide users with a community to engage with other DAO members through a designated channel. DAO members may also discuss proposals for the governance of the DAO.

NTF packs

Exclusive collectible NFT packs may also be available to ESelfKey iD holders. This may add a unique and personalized touch to their digital identity. These collectibles are released by the ESelfKey DAO, further enhancing their customization and originality.

KEY.ETH ENS domains and ESelfKey iD

Moreover, ESelfKey iD holders may register for KEY.ETH ENS domains. This might enable them to create unique and easily identifiable domains for their online identity.

Instant login to partner apps

Instant login to partner apps may be another advantage of having a ESelfKey iD. This may provide users with a seamless and secure login process across multiple platforms.

Ultimately, the benefits of having a ESelfKey iD express the platform's commitment to providing users with a comprehensive, valuable experience. It may enhance their ability to navigate the crypto space with ease and confidence.

Conclusions

In theory, ESelfKey iD may be a strong and reliable form of digital identity that might be used for a broad range of use cases in the crypto world. With its focus on user-friendliness, security, and privacy, the ESelfKey iD may be well-suited to the needs of decentralized societies and Web3 applications.

However, ESelfKey iD may also be suited for traditional Web2 platforms that want to benefit from security and anti-bot features inherent to the ESelfKey iD system.

ESelfKey iD may not only empower the governance of the ESelfKey DAO but it may also provide a model for other decentralized governance systems. By offering powerful, privacy-preserving identity credentials, the ESelfKey iD might enable more fair and democratic governance. This way, users may have greater control over their data and identities.

The ESelfKey DAO aims to provide new forms of decentralized governance, which may allow members to experiment with different approaches and explore the full potential of the ESelfKey iD.

As the crypto world continues to evolve, the ESelfKey iD might play an increasingly important role in enabling secure and transparent transactions across a wide range of platforms and applications.

Stay up to date with ESelfKey on Discord, Telegram, and Subscribe to the official ESelfKey Newsletter to receive new information!

Note:

The purchase of a KEY token is not an investment. KEY tokens should not be bought for speculative reasons. A KEY token does not give any right to profits, and it does not represent any ownership interest. KEY tokens may have value and utility solely within ESelfKey.

We use the "KYC" term here for general information purposes, without reference to particular legislation. Please check the laws relevant to you and contact us for the details.

The Benefits of ESelfKey iD

SelfKey — Tue, 28 Mar 2023 10:49:50 +0000

Summary

Nowadays, most individuals operate in a digital environment where transactions and communication are made online. As a result, digital identity verification has become a very important aspect of online security and compliance.

KYC (Know Your Customer) is one of the most widely used methods for verifying the identities of users and clients. While KYC has been effective in assuring security and regulatory compliance, it has some significant drawbacks. KYC can be time-consuming, expensive, and difficult for users, potentially resulting in losing customers and missing business opportunities.

ESelfKey addresses this issue by proposing a potential solution to these issues with ESelfKey iD.

ESelfKey iD is a revolutionary approach to identity verification that could be faster, more secure, and less costly than traditional KYC methods. It uses the power of blockchain technology and smart contracts to potentially offer a secure, decentralized, and efficient identity verification process. This can possibly eliminate many of the issues associated with traditional KYC methods.

With ESelfKey iD, users can create a self sovereign identity that they can control, giving them more privacy and full ownership over their personal data.

In this article, we will elaborate on the drawbacks of traditional KYC methods. We will also examine the advantages of ESelfKey iD, its features and benefits compared to traditional KYC. Additionally, we will explore the potential impact of ESelfKey iD on the future of digital identity verification.

Highlights

KYC: Potential Issues to Consider
The Benefits of ESelfKey iD
High-Level Flow
Quick Relying Party Onboarding
The Issuance: ESelfKey iD NFT User Flow
The Verification: ESelfKey iD User Onboarding
Reusable KYC and ESelfKey iD
ESelfKey iD New Project Setup
Conclusions

KYC: Potential Issues to Consider

Even though KYC has become a commonly used procedure in many industries, it has its drawbacks.

Here as some examples:

The collection of personally identifiable information (PII) for KYC purposes comes with legal responsibilities and storage costs, which can take a toll on companies.
Users have a tendency to dislike KYC checks, finding them intrusive and time-consuming. This can lead to lower conversion rates and a negative first impression for potential customers.
Implementing KYC can be a difficult and expensive process, further adding to its disadvantages.

Perhaps the time to explore alternative ways of verifying customer identities has come. With ESelfKey iD, you can explore methods that are less tedious for all parties involved.

The Benefits of ESelfKey iD

As stated above, KYC processes can be inconvenient for both companies and customers alike. However, ESelfKey’s Ai-Powered Proof of Individuality method along with ESelfKey iD can potentially become a better alternative to KYC.

Here are some of ESelfKey.iD’s benefits:

The overall process is easier and less costly, making it more accessible for users.
The onboarding process is quick.
Ongoing monitoring makes sure that customer data remains accurate.
Existing KYC checks are reused, thus the need to collect and store PII repeatedly is no longer an issue.
Costs for companies are reduced, but also improves customer privacy and security.
It provides powerful compliance tools, ensuring that companies remain in compliance with regulations and laws.

By using ESelfKey iD, companies can streamline their KYC processes, reducing costs, enhancing customer privacy, and improving compliance. Ultimately, this results in a better experience for customers and a more efficient and secure system for companies.

Below, we will discuss some of ESelfKey iDs benefits more in depth.

High-Level Flow

ESelfKey iD enables zero-knowledge interactions between individuals, making sure that users' data is kept private and secure. With ESelfKey iD, the user's data does not reach your server. This adds to user privacy and prevents potential data breaches.

Furthermore, the onboarding process is quick and simple.

When a user with a ESelfKey iD visits your server, they are checked to determine if they match your filter. If they do, they can be onboarded instantly, simplifying the process and reducing the time and resources required.

By using ESelfKey iD, companies can provide a secure and efficient onboarding process that prioritizes user privacy and security. The zero-knowledge interactions and instant onboarding features make it a better alternative to traditional KYC processes.

Quick Relying Party Onboarding

To streamline the onboarding process, the following steps are required:

Sign up at ESelfKey iD to create your user filters.
Add these filters to your smart contracts.
When a user attempts to run your smart contract function, the system will check if they have a ESelfKey iD NFT. If they do not have one, they will be prompted to get one.
If the issuer has a ESelfKey iD NFT, they will then be able to verify whether the user matches the filter that you have set for the transaction. If they do, the user will be granted access to your server. If not, the user will be denied access.

Following these steps, companies can implement a more efficient and secure onboarding process that prioritizes user privacy and security.

ESelfKey iD's NFT-based system ensures that only authorized users are given access to the company's services. This reduces the risk of relying parties allowing access to unauthorized individuals to their services.

The Issuance: ESelfKey iD NFT User Flow

The issuance process for ESelfKey iD is outlined below:

The user visits your project and is redirected to ESelfKey iD, in case they do not already have one.
The user pays for the verification check.
The user goes through the verification process, and the issuer stores their data. Ongoing monitoring of the account begins.
If the user passes the checks, the issuer releases a credential that verifies the user's humanity, uniqueness in the database, and verified data.
The user then mints their own ESelfKey iD NFT.

By following these steps, users can obtain a ESelfKey iD NFT that verifies their identity and potentially provides access to various projects that use the ESelfKey iD platform.

The verification process may grant access only to authorized users, providing enhanced security and privacy for both users and companies.

Enhanced security offers several benefits such as:

Anti-bot security. This measure prevents automated attacks by detecting and blocking suspicious or malicious bot traffic.
Fraud protection. Malicious individuals often use bots for fraudulent activities like creating fake accounts or generating false clicks to generate revenue. Implementing anti-bot security measures helps to identify and prevent such fraudulent activities, keeping the business and customers safe.
Improved user experience. Bots can significantly hinder the user experience by slowing down websites or making it difficult for users to access information. Anti-bot security measures ensure that legitimate users can access the website or service without interruptions or delays.

The Verification: ESelfKey iD User Onboarding

The onboarding process for ESelfKey.iD is as follows:

A user with a ESelfKey iD visits your project.
You request that the ESelfKey iD issuer checks the user's information.
The issuer verifies whether the user's data matches your filters.
The issuer sends a signed message confirming the user's status.
If the user is verified, they can be onboarded, and the signed message can be used to authorize transactions.
The relying party (issuer) is billed for the verification check.

Through this process, companies can implement a more efficient and secure onboarding method that prioritizes user privacy and security.

ESelfKey iD's NFT-based system may allow access to the company's services only to authorized users. The use of a signed message adds an extra layer of security, offering further assurance that the user's data has been verified by the relying party.

Reusable KYC and ESelfKey iD

The benefits of using reusable KYC with ESelfKey iD are as follows:

Your project subscribes to ESelfKey iD.
Your project can be featured on the ESelfKey iD website.
A user with a ESelfKey iD NFT visits the ESelfKey iD website.
The user scrolls through the list of projects that support ESelfKey iD.
The user can potentially choose your project from the list.
The user quickly onboards to your project using their existing ESelfKey iD NFT.
Your project profits from the seamless onboarding experience.

ESelfKey iD's reusable KYC system could provide companies with a more streamlined onboarding experience for users. Users can easily access multiple projects without having to go through the time-consuming and costly process of verifying their identity each time.

Additionally, companies benefit from increased user adoption and loyalty, as the reusable KYC system encourages users to choose projects that support ESelfKey iD. Overall, this system offers a win-win situation for both companies and users alike.

ESelfKey iD New Project Setup

Setting up a new project with ESelfKey iD is quite easy. Below, we will detail a few steps which you need to consider.

The project onboarding process is as follows:

Go to the ESelfKey iD website.
Register for a new account.
Add your company privacy policy to your account.
Choose a subscription pack that suits your needs.
Set up filters to verify your users' identity.
Your project is now ready to implement the filters into your system.

ESelfKey iD's easy-to-use platform could offer companies a quick and efficient way to set up their project's identity verification process. The platform provides a range of subscription plans to choose from, depending on your business's specific requirements.

With the ability to customize filters for your users, you can ensure that only authorized individuals can access your platform, enhancing security and trust.

Overall, ESelfKey iD's new project setup process offers a simple and effective solution for individuals looking to integrate identity verification into their systems

The Library Implementation

To implement ESelfKey iD into your project's system, follow these simple steps:

Implement the backend library onto your server.
Prepare the front-end to handle calls for authorization.
Implement the ESelfKey iD smart contract into your own smart contract.
Your project is now ready to onboard users.

By following these steps, you can integrate ESelfKey iD into your project's system and take advantage of its powerful identity verification capabilities. With the backend library in place, your server will be able to communicate with ESelfKey iD to authorize user access.

By integrating the smart contract into your own contract, you can ensure that only authorized individuals can access your platform, boosting security and trust.

All in all, ESelfKey iD's library implementation process offers a robust solution for businesses looking to enhance their identity verification capabilities.

How the Profile Builder Functions:

ESelfKey iD's Profile Builder is a tool that allows you to create customizable filters for your project. You may use these filters to sort and manage users based on specific criteria.

The Profile Builder allows you to create multiple filters, which you can implement separately on your project. This means that you can have different filters applied to different sections of your app or website, depending on your specific needs.

For example:

You could create a filter that accepts citizens of Country A for one section of your app, but another filter for the same project that excludes citizens of Country A from another section.
This level of detailed filtering allows you to match regulatory requirements while also boosting the benefits of your app.

To set up the Profile Builder, you would first define the standards you want to filter by, such as citizenship, age, or profession. You can then apply rules and conditions to each filter to create a customized sorting system.

For the most part, the Profile Builder in ESelfKey iD could provide a flexible and powerful tool for managing user data and creating a tailored experience for your app's users.

Conclusions

ESelfKey aims to provide a comprehensive solution that addresses the needs of both businesses and users.

The benefits of ESelfKey iD could include efficient, secure, and cost-effective KYC checks, streamlined onboarding, and better conversion rates. Additionally, ESelfKey iD's approach to privacy ensures legal compliance and reduces costs associated with PII storage.

Even more, with a user-friendly one-time KYC process and access to multiple projects on the website, ESelfKey iD offers convenience and ease of use for users. ESelfKey iD's project features and powerful user filtering tools could enable businesses to match rules and increase profitability.

Stay up to date with ESelfKey on Discord, Telegram, and Subscribe to the official ESelfKey Newsletter to receive new information!

Note:

This communication is for informational purposes only. It is not legal or investment advice or service. We do not intend to offer, solicit, or recommend investment advisory services or buy, sell, or hold digital assets. Additionally, we do not solicit or offer to buy or sell any financial instrument.

We use the "KYC" term here for general information purposes, without reference to particular legislation. Please check the laws relevant to you and contact us for the details.

AI-Powered Proof of Individuality

SelfKey — Tue, 07 Mar 2023 15:45:35 +0000

Summary

Throughout the years, technology has transformed the way we operate as humans in society. It brought great changes to the way we work, study, communicate, and interact with one another. Furthermore, it has made these things easier, faster, and more accessible than ever before.

We’re headed towards a digitized future, where we learn more about state-of-the-art artificial intelligence. However, the more we learn about artificial intelligence, the more it learns about us.

In this article, we will firstly discuss artificial intelligence, what it is and how we can use it to navigate the digital world. Secondly, we’ll explore the benefits and drawbacks of artificial intelligence. Lastly and most importantly, we’ll elaborate on ways to use AI-powered proof of individuality methods to keep our community’s individuality, privacy, and digital identities safe.

Highlights

Artificial Intelligence and Humanity
AI-Powered Proof of Individuality
How can AI-Powered Proof of Individuality benefit us?
How does AI-Powered Proof of Individuality work?
AI-Powered Proof of Individuality and Selfkey

Artificial Intelligence and Humanity

Humans versus technology

The advancement in technology for the past several decades has stirred a growing debate of humans versus artificial intelligence (AI). For instance, if AI begins to take over tasks which were traditionally associated with people, what are people left with? Their sense of humanity and individual identity.

Digitalization has impacted every aspect of our lives, making it easier for us to perform our daily tasks. Because of this, we have more or less become dependent on technology in order to operate in the online world.

Overall, the topic of AI is quite controversial. Throughout history, humans have been cautious about accepting new technologies since the dawn of the industrial age. While technology has undoubtedly brought significant improvements to our lives, an important question remains:

Will AI ultimately be beneficial or detrimental to our well-being in the long run?

We will examine the potential advantages and disadvantages of AI in the following sections.

The benefits of Artificial Intelligence

Despite the potential risks and challenges posed by AI, there is no denying that it brings many benefits and advantages for humanity.

Technology has filled our lives with entertainment, efficiency, and enhanced accessibility by eliminating frustrating and time-consuming tasks. Not only that, but it has made performing our daily tasks considerably easier and it has opened doors to an incredible library of information.

Let’s briefly explore some of AI’s key benefits:

Automation. Advanced technology can program AI to do tedious, repetitive mundane jobs, so that humans can focus on more complex and creative tasks.
Efficiency. AI has the capability to analyze a large amount of data and find patterns and trends that might be hard for humans to see. This can help individuals make better decisions.

Accesibility. Thanks to modern technology, individuals can benefit from applications that make working, studying, and communicating remotely much easier.
Accuracy. Under careful supervision, AI can perform tasks with high accuracy, reducing the risk of errors and improving performance tremendously.

The dark side of Artificial Intelligence

With AI progressing at incredible speeds, technology has raised concerns about privacy and security. One of the biggest concerns nowadays is the threat of AI stealing human identities. There has been an increase in data breaches and cyberattacks, which leads to a growing need for stronger security measures to protect our personal data.

Like any other innovation, AI undoubtedly has its drawbacks, which are often overshadowed by its benefits. Basically, AI systems are designed to learn and make decisions based on data. Therefore, if the data used to train these systems is biased or incomplete, it can lead to flawed decision-making.

We can understand the dark side of AI once we examine some of its potential risks and negative impacts:

In the wrong hands, AI systems can be used for malicious purposes, such as cyberattacks.
Because of this, privacy and security are major concerns when it comes to AI.
Data breaches could result in divulging sensitive data, leading to significant consequences, like loss of privacy.
Hackers can make use of the leaked data to steal or forge individuals’ digital identities.
AI can generate fake identities, which can be used to influence the decision-making or output of a system.

As AI systems continue to evolve, it becomes more and more difficult to predict their actions. Consequently, we cannot hold them accountable for their faulty behavior.

What can we do, then?

Artificial intelligence is currently not a sentient being, it cannot make its own decisions.

It can either be used for good purposes or for malicious purposes, depending on the intentions of the individuals behind it. And, while humans are not equipped with the accuracy and efficiency of state-of-the-art technology, we can use AI to fight against malicious AI.

Thankfully, there is a method which can verify an individual’s identity in a secure, efficient and highly accurate manner.

AI-Powered Proof of Individuality

What is Proof of Individuality?

Proof of individuality (POI) is a protocol that supports the statement that every person is a distinct and unique individual. As a matter of fact, individuality is a core aspect of human existence. It refers to the one-of-a-kind set of characteristics, thoughts, emotions and perspectives that make each person different from one another.

While digital identities can be stolen and sold, individuality is not something which, at the moment, can be duplicated. At this time, it represents our liveliness as real, tangible, mindful beings.

Identification in modern times

Identification is an important aspect of our lives. Above all, it is unique to each and every one of us, and it represents our liveliness. Therefore, as technology makes new, magnificent progress every day, AI-Powered proof of individuality has become an essential part of our daily existence. From accessing bank accounts to opening doors, AI-Powered proof of individuality has revolutionized the way we identify ourselves.

Some of the most common AI-Powered proof of individuality methods are:

Fingerprints
Facial recognition
Iris scans

These biometric identification methods are highly accurate and reliable, making them the go-to method for identification in many industries.

How can AI-Powered Proof of Individuality benefit us?

Overall, AI-Powered proof of individuality has many advantages. Particularly:

Speed
Accuracy
Remote identification

Speed

The traditional methods of identification, such as presenting a physical paper for verification can cause delays.
Ai-Powered proof of individuality methods are much quicker. For example, using a fingerprint scanner can take only a few seconds.
As a result, Ai-Powered proof of individuality methods are efficient in situations where time is of the essence.

Accuracy

Biometric methods such as facial recognition and iris scans are highly accurate.
In such a case, the chance of false positives or false negatives is minimal.
This level of accuracy is ideal for high-security situations, such as airport security or government buildings.

Remote identification

AI-Powered proof of individuality made it possible to identify individuals remotely.
With the use of online identification tools, individuals can verify the authenticity of each other’s identities.
There is no need to meet in person anymore. Therefore, physical distance is no longer an obstacle.

How does AI-Powered Proof of Individuality work?

A brief description

AI-Powered proof of individuality uses artificial intelligence to verify an individual’s identity based on their biometric features and behavior.

As mentioned previously, biometric features are fingerprints, facial recognition, or iris scans.

Some of the behavior patterns this technology analyzes are:

Typing speed and style. How a person types on a keyboard, how long they pause between keystrokes, and how hard they press the keys.
Mouse movements. How a person moves the cursor on a screen, the direction and speed of their movements.
Voice patterns. The way a person talks, their pitch, tone and accent.
Smartphone usage. The way a person holds or uses their smartphone, the angle of how they hold their device, or how they swipe and tap on the screen.

All in the benefit of the individual

The idea that our devices check our behavior patterns might be anxiety-inducing. Without a doubt, it can be scary thinking how technology knows us better than we know ourselves. However, in this case, AI is programmed to keep our individuality safe from malicious, bad players.

This way, organizations can improve security and prevent identity fraud. Furthermore, AI-Powered proof of individuality is more convenient to access digital services without the need for passwords or tangible identification cards. Passwords can be forgotten, stolen, or compromised.

Consequently, AI-Powered proof of individuality has the potential to positively transform how we verify our identities in the digital age.

AI-Powered Proof of Individuality and Selfkey

ESelfKey aims to offer individuals a secure means of verifying their identity through AI-Powered proof of individuality methods.

Guidelines for users:

The user will first have to perform a KYC check. KYC stands for Know Your Customer, and it is a mandatory process of identifying and verifying an individual’s identity. It is done to ensure that the user is genuinely who they claim to be.
The user will then obtain the ESelfKey iD SBT. SBT stands for Soulbound Tokens. They are non-transferrable, verifiable, digital tokens that can show an individual’s accreditations, work experience, work history, and past records.
After this, the user onboards to ESelfKey DAO. DAO stands for Decentralized Autonomous Organization. It is governed by a community of individuals on a decentralized blockchain network. The rules of a DAO are transparent to all members in order to create equality between users.

The part AI plays

After the user completes all of the steps above, ESelfKey will require an AI-Powered selfie check. This modern method of verifying an individual’s identity uses facial recognition technology.

For instance, here’s what happens during an AI-Powered selfie check:

The user will take a selfie and submit it to an AI-Powered system.
The AI-Powered system will check the photo against a vast collection of pre-verified images.
The system will use algorithms to identify unique facial features, like: distance between the eyes, the shape of the jawline, the position of the nose.
If the user passes the check, they will receive a POI (proof of identity) credential, which they can stake KEY on.
If the user does not pass the check, they will not be allowed to continue.
In the case of a false negative, the user will have the possibility to contact support.

These AI-Powered selfie checks will be made periodically, each time a user performs important actions within the ESelfKey DAO.

How does this benefit us?

This method is widely used by online platforms and organizations that require a high level of trust and security in their user authentication process. Firstly, it is a quick, convenient, and reliable method. Secondly, and most importantly, AI-powered checks will prevent identity fraud in the online world.

For instance, AI-Powered proof of individuality will efficiently and accurately check that:

The user’s selfie is not forged by another individual.
The user’s selfie is not AI-generated or fake.
The user is a real person.
The user’s selfie matches the original selfie they submitted during the KYC check.

Anti-Sybil technology

Did you know that there is a term for “identity fraud” in the digital world? In the context of online security and identity verification, “Sybil” refers to the act of creating multiple fake identities or accounts.

A single, malicious individual or a group can do that, with the intention of manipulating or deceiving the system. Alarmingly, it can carry out spam attacks, manipulate voting in online polls for elections, even inflate the popularity of a website or social media.

Preventing Sybil attacks is a crucial challenge in the design of many online systems. Thankfully, SelfKey’s AI-Powered proof of individuality methods can fight against that.

Conclusions

Even though technology has posed challenges throughout the decades, it has an immense potential to make society better. AI-Powered Proof of Individuality has become a part of our daily lives, helping us identify ourselves in a quick and efficient manner. The advantages modern identification methods bring are undeniable.

In spite of that, having concerns about privacy and security is normal, especially when it comes to our individuality. However, ESelfKey is aiming to developing methods to combat those who use cutting-edge technology for malicious purposes.

Finally, as technology continues to evolve, we can expect to see even more complex methods of identification in the future. But, it is vital to remember that we are supposed to use technology to enhance our lives, our work, rather than replace them. The solution is to find a balance between technology and humanity.

If you want to learn more about what the future brings, your online safety, and methods to combat bad players on the web, subscribe to the official ESelfKey blog!

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Note:

To the best of our knowledge, the information contained herein is accurate as of the date stated; however, the accuracy and completeness of the information are not guaranteed, and we disclaim any duty to update the information should circumstances change. You should not rely upon the information without conducting your own validation.

This communication is for informational purposes only and does not constitute an offer to sell, a solicitation to buy, or a recommendation for any digital asset, nor does it constitute an offer to provide investment advisory or other services. No reference to any specific digital asset constitutes a recommendation to buy, sell or hold such digital asset. Nothing here shall be considered a solicitation or offer to buy or sell any security, future, option or other financial instrument or to offer or provide any investment advice or service.

SELF and KEY tokens, SBTs, and NFTs associated with the ESelfKey ecosystem have no monetary value or utility outside of the ESelfKey ecosystem, are not ascribed any price or conversion ratio by ESelfKey and its affiliates, and do not represent ownership interests or confer any rights to profits or revenues. These tokens should not be purchased for speculative reasons or considered investments. By engaging with ESelfKey, you acknowledge and agree to the applicable terms and any associated risks. We recommend consulting with legal and financial professionals before participating in the ESelfKey ecosystem and related transactions.

We use the "KYC" term here for general information purposes, without reference to particular legislation. Please check the laws relevant to you and contact us for the details.

Self Sovereign Identity

SelfKey — Wed, 01 Mar 2023 18:36:43 +0000

Summary

Have you ever wondered what happens to your personal data once you share it with a website or an application? Have you thought about where your information is stored and who has access to it? Were you aware that data breaches happen daily and your information is at risk of being compromised at any time?

This article touches upon a new technology which is currently being developed to help you manage your private information online. In the near future, you will no longer have to rely on other parties that might put your sensitive, valuable, or personal data in danger.

We’ll be discussing the concept of self sovereign identity (SSID), how it works and how it impacts our daily lives as individuals operating in a digital world.

We will thoroughly cover the following topics:

Online Safety
How will Self Sovereign Identity improve our online activities?
Self Sovereign Identity
Issues with the current implementation of Self Sovereign Identity
How can the current Self Sovereign Identity implementation be improved and scaled?
The Trust Triangle
Agents of The Trust Triangle
Trust in the digital world
The Three Pillars of Self Sovereign Identity
Blockchains
Decentralized Identifiers
Verifiable Credentials
Zero Knowledge Proofs
Conclusions

Online Safety

Digital revolution: both a blessing and a curse

In the past several decades, mankind has shown magnificent progress in computer science. So much so that society quickly became accustomed to using Information and Communication Technologies on a daily basis. Whether it is for recreational purposes, communication, work or education, mundane tasks are made significantly easier with the help of cutting-edge technology and wireless systems.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) is capable of performing convenient assignments, such as reading, generating, integrating, and theorizing information. However, it is also heading dangerously fast towards mimicking a trait which, up until now, has been uniquely human: identity.

When personal data is leaked, AI can potentially make use of that information to steal or forge human identities. Thankfully, the future will also bring ways to prevent that. A Self-Sovereign Identity solution is being developed to protect our data from being stolen and sold.

How safe is it really out there?

Using technology and having a digital presence has become so common nowadays that many people don’t think twice about the security of their personal information.

Although they are within the safety of their homes, their data is still potentially visible to millions of users online. Among those millions, there are many individuals with bad intentions, who look for ways to use other people’s private data for their own personal benefit.

More often than not, however, it is entities that individuals are supposed to trust who end up selling or divulging their personal information to other parties. And those parties, whether willingly or not, will put that personal information at risk of being unlawfully used by bad players.

At the moment, unfortunately, people have come to depend on centralized systems in order to benefit from online services to perform their daily tasks. Without those online services, it would be impossible for individuals to function in the present day society.

It is more of an obligation rather than a choice,and it has become so normal that we simply go with the flow. Otherwise, we will not be able to keep up with the fast-paced changes in the way we work, study, and communicate.

Our digital identities

Personally Identifiable Information (PII) belonging to individuals, firms or organizations is being stored online in the form of digital data. This collection of digital data is then used to build our digital identity.

A digital identity is used to facilitate access to services that make it easy for computers to efficiently mediate transactions between two or more individuals. The web provides us with a quick way of performing these transactions. However, it is not the safest place to store our private information.

Data breaches happen on a daily basis without our knowledge. Through data breaches, important and valuable information can be stolen and sold, including our very own digital identities.

Ideally, individuals should be able to make use of the advanced, modern day technology without the risk of their private data ending up in the wrong hands. In order for that to happen, individuals need to have more control over how their information is stored and who has access to view or share it, at all times.

The illusion of choice

Nowadays, control seems less impactful on our lives, because the deception of freedom is given to us through choices. However, when access to necessary modern applications is being restricted unless personal data is consensually shared, choice becomes an illusion.

With the choice to opt in being enforced, people have grown used to accepting the privacy policies of applications without a second thought. These policies, that we barely even bother to read, do mention how data is shared with third parties. However, we cannot do anything but blindly trust that service providers will not abuse or mishandle our data.

At the moment there is only the illusion of consent, of trust, all in the detriment of the individual. Because of this deceitful way of forcing users to consent to their data being used, trust between individuals is becoming more and more difficult to establish.

SSID aims to dispel these illusions and bring authentic consent and trust to the mainstream.

Seeking safety in a digital world

Sadly, Big Tech often profits off of individuals at the expense of the latter’s safety, which may lead up to identity theft.

Many users are unaware of the unlawful incidents happening underneath the brightly colored backgrounds of websites and applications as they perform their daily online tasks. Living under the impression that, as long as there is no malware alert on their devices, they have nothing to be concerned about.

The alarming truth, however, is that security violations occur on a daily basis. These cumulative cyber attacks can potentially cause millions of dollars in damages to the individuals whose data was involved.

How will Self Sovereign Identity improve our online activities?

Fortunately, a solution to the above-mentioned risks is currently being developed by ESelfKey. It will be the sword and shield for individuals to function and perform transactions in the safest way possible.

Self sovereign identity not only gives back the freedom of choice, but it also prevents this kind of disaster from happening. SSID users give access only to individuals that they wish to engage with. During this interaction, only a very limited amount of information is shared.

Therefore, sensitive, protected and important data is less likely to be sold to or shared with harmful individuals and organizations. Self sovereign identity was conceived to prevent data leakage in this sense. It gives users the power not only to manage and control, but also to protect what they deem valuable.

Self Sovereign Identity

A brief introduction

Self sovereign identity (SSID) is a new way of managing digital identities, which aims to put individuals in control of how their accounts and private information are managed. With SSID, individuals have full ownership over their personal data. They no longer need to rely on centralized systems that might share their data with unknown parties for personal gain.

Users can store their private information into their devices and present it for validation when it is specifically needed. This way, the risk of having their data compromised is considerably reduced. Individuals are in complete control over how their information is used and stored, at all times.

How self sovereign identity is currently being implemented

Once Self Sovereign Identity users store their private data on their devices, they can quickly take the opportunity to interact with trusted partners. In order to benefit from the services offered by these trusted partners, users need to accept the processing of their information by the partners. This is declared by the relying party once the user attempts to onboard into their services.

Issues with the current implementation of Self Sovereign Identity

Adoption and Convenience

At the moment, SSID users must store their data on their private device instead of the traditional central database. This method allows the users to have full control of their personal data. On the down side, the flow by which users interact with the system is less convenient than centralized alternatives.

Storing data on one private device makes it difficult for it to be accessed by the user’s other devices. Individuals have to manually introduce their information into devices they want to use, which can become time consuming and frustrating.

Scalability

Currently, users can only exercise their self sovereign rights with partners within the SSID environment. More so, individuals need to trust that the parties they choose to interact with will handle their personal data with respect to their privacy and store it securely.

How can the current Self Sovereign Identity implementation be improved and scaled?

Should we use Centralized Systems for convenience?

Centrally controlled systems are databases in which an individual’s digital identity is stored in one or more servers belonging to a centralized entity. Once personal data is stored in this type of server, an individual has no way of knowing who has access to it, who it is shared with, or where it ends up.

When personal data is being shared with unknown, third parties, there is a high risk of unintentional information disclosure. This can lead to dire consequences like identity theft or secret information being disclosed to the public, stolen or sold.

While centralized systems are not necessarily malicious, their security is weak, which leads to data leakage. With AI progressing alarmingly fast, this is a particularly serious concern. As a conclusion, centralized systems can not be used to improve the adoption and scalability of SSID solutions.

Are Decentralized Systems a better option?

On the polar opposite of centralized systems are decentralized systems. This type of system stores and verifies information in multiple computers that work together as nodes in a network, popularly known as a blockchain.

By transferring the control from a centralized entity to a dispersed group, decentralized systems aim to reach a level of fairness among its users, without one individual having authority over the other.

The way data is stored in a decentralized system makes it very difficult for malicious parties to manipulate it, because it is secured by the blockchain. A decentralized system is perfect for storing public and openly-accessible data, such as a record of transactions.

However, storing personally identifiable information (PII) in a decentralized system is highly unadvised, even if it is encrypted. PII can be anything from full name, phone number, full date of birth, full address, or credit card information.

Once data is made public, it can not be erased or changed, and it is openly accessible to anyone. Therefore, decentralized systems alone are not ideal for storing private information, due to inevitable and permanent loss of privacy.

They are part of the solution, though, and we will discuss in the following sections.

Is there a solution to this dilemma, then?

At the moment, SelfKey is actively working on and is committed to delivering an ideal solution to increase the adoption of SSID, using cutting-edge technology.

In the next segments we will thoroughly discuss ESelfKey’s proposed solution, which pertains to:

The Trust Triangle
The Three Pillars of self sovereign identity
Zero Knowledge Proofs

The Trust Triangle

Presently, we are accustomed to the traditional “peer-to-peer” interactions between identity owners and verifiers. To better facilitate the goals of SSI, a three-party system is proposed. In this triangle, two individuals that want to interact securely can rely on a third party to issue and to confirm the authenticity of their credentials.

For example:

We have individual A and individual B, two entities who are about to make an exchange. B has obtained their verifiable credentials (personal data that can be checked for validity) from C, a third, neutral party. C is legally permitted to vouch for B’s authenticity.
B wants to make a purchase with A, but the services provided by A are age-restricted. Therefore, A must check with C if B legally qualifies to access that kind of service.
In this case, there is only one specific inquiry that must be clarified: whether B is a legal adult. That is the only information that C will validate with A.
A does not have access to extra information that would otherwise be physically printed on an ID or a passport. This information can be name, full address, full date of birth, social security number, photos, etc. Basically, any identifier that B does not want to share with A or to divulge to the public.
This also eliminates the risk of A, if potentially ill-intended, retaining private information from B. There is no visible data for A to read and memorize. There is only C’s confirmation that B qualifies (or not) to purchase a service from A, without giving out specific details.

This applies to any kind of identifier which is needed to validate interactions between persons or companies. The risk of personal data being visible to individuals outside of the trust triangle is eliminated this way. And even within the trust triangle, only the minimum, relevant information will be shown or confirmed.

Agents of The Trust Triangle

The issuer is the entity that releases verifiable credentials after verifying the claims given by the holder.

It is typically an institution, an organization or an individual who possesses the legal authority to verify and to vouch for the holder’s authenticity.
Examples of issuers are governmental institutions; universities, departments, companies, agencies, authorities, training institutions, etc.
The issuer is a neutral party whose role is only to validate a claim in a holder-verifier transaction.

The holder (data owner) is the individual, a person, a company or an organization who owns unique, personal data.

The holder earns verifiable credentials after providing proof of authenticity to the issuer.
The data owner will use those verifiable credentials to prove authenticity before benefiting from various services, making purchases or transactions.

The verifier (relying party) is the entity which verifies a holder’s verifiable credentials.

The relying party will need to verify only a specific piece of information. Only the bare minimum which is relevant to provide a service to the holder.
The verifier checks if the holder’s data is issued by a competent and legally authorized issuer.
The verifier makes sure that the holder’s data has not been tampered with, forged, expired or revoked.

Trust in the digital world

What makes this triangle work is that the three parties are willing to trust one another. The element of trust is important, especially in a time where information forgery and theft happen quite frequently. But within a trust triangle, the user (or holder), has complete control over the management and visibility of their data.

As stated above, digital identities are the counterparts of physical identities that are verified through paper documents. The way trust works digitally is similar to the real, tangible world. However, the consequences of having personal information exposed to the public digitally are much greater.

Having to trust a centralized database is more or less forced upon individuals. Otherwise they couldn’t benefit from services required to perform daily transactions, either for personal or professional gain. Within a trust triangle, SSID can facilitate these daily transactions without holders having to concede to “blind trust” and risking the safety of their personal data.

The Three Pillars of Self Sovereign Identity

Within the trust-triangle framework, there are three main components, or “pillars”, that enable the realization of the ideal solution SSID is aiming to achieve:

Blockchains
Decentralized Identifiers
Verifiable Credentials

Blockchains

A blockchain is a ledger which is shared across thousands of computers around the world. These computers act like nodes within a network, storing and verifying information in a way that makes it nearly impossible to modify or cheat the system.

Within a blockchain, data is saved like a compilation of records, linked to one another. Each user has a copy of this collection, which makes it particularly difficult for hackers to unlawfully modify the information stored within.

To enhance security, data is protected using complex cryptography which, at the moment, cannot be deciphered by malignant parties. The blockchain will provide the security layer necessary for users and relying parties to interact within the SSID framework.

Decentralized Identifiers

DIDs, for short, are the digital counterparts of physical documents, IDs, passports or licenses used to verify one’s identity.

What qualifies as an identifier is any kind of information that proves an individual’s identity and individuality. Traditionally, identifiers are issued and stored by centralized systems, such as governmental institutions and organizations.

Decentralized identifiers no longer depend on a central system to manage, issue, and store valuable, private information. They ensure that individuals are able to generate their own identifiers with the help of systems that they trust. Individuals can then use cryptographic proof, such as digital signatures, to authenticate their new identifiers as their own.

Decentralized identifiers are unique. They cannot be forged or stolen, because identity itself is unique and pertaining to only one individual. For example, a digital wallet address can be used as a decentralized identifier.

Verifiable Credentials

Verifiable credentials are digital versions of physical, paper documents used by persons, businesses, and organizations to identify themselves. Individuals can also use them to prove that they are qualified to access a service or perform a transaction.

Verifiable credentials are, but not limited to: digital birth certificates, digital education certificates, digital licenses, digital employee identification cards.

Verifiable credentials are issued in a tamper-evident manner that is respectful of the individual’s privacy. Bad players cannot make any unauthorized attempt to modify or forge digital documents without leaving evidence behind. This is something that a relying party will verify at each check.

In the physical world, a tamper-proof document would be sealed within multiple layers that are locked in a specific manner. If anyone attempts to open them, they cannot rearrange the layers in the original way. There is visible evidence that someone has unsealed and tampered with the document.

Using such a tamper-proof document, holders can present them to issuers and be verified immediately. This makes onboarding even more convenient than what centralized services offer nowadays.

But how do individuals make use of these credentials? We believe that the answer to that question lies within Zero Knowledge flows detailed below.

Zero Knowledge

In the current context, the concept of zero knowledge simply means that a relying party (verifier) does not need any additional information, other than the necessary minimum, to confirm whether a data owner (holder) qualifies for the service they provide or not.

Using the zero-knowledge proof method within a trust triangle, participants will benefit from secure interactions. This is because their full personal information does not need to be revealed in the majority of interactions.

Let’s revisit our previous example but with ZK in mind:

Holder A wishes to access Verifier B’s services, which are age-restricted.
B needs to verify with Issuer C whether A qualifies for said services.
C will confirm whether A is of age or not, without revealing the full date of birth, or specific age. Confirmation is expressed in the form of a ZK proof.
B will not have access to any kind of additional information, like location, actual date of birth, full name, full address, gender, etc. Likewise, B will not be retaining any data, because there will be no information for B to memorize or share outside of the interaction with A.

Conclusions

The quick progress of technology is both thrilling and anxiety-inducing. It can be challenging to adapt to these fast-paced changes. However, there will always be ways to combat the threat of being controlled by an ill-intended higher power.

Self Sovereign Identity is keeping pace with this constant technological uprising, making sure to protect its users. It aims to maintain the ideal that there’s a choice that doesn’t trap individuals in exhausting, exploitative loops.

Its goal is to continuously certify its users to reach their full professional and personal potential. To restore each individual’s ability to be the sole controller of their PII in their digital lives.

ESelfKey is restlessly working towards achieving ways for users to be able to safely engage with partners in an environment that is secure and neutral. At the moment, SSID is an ideal, a work in progress. ESelfKey has the potential to become the bridge that will take its users towards a much safer and empowering future.

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All Data Breaches in 2019 - 2022 - An Alarming Timeline

SelfKey — Mon, 05 Sep 2022 11:59:41 +0000

Your personal information is not safe online. Data breaches happen on an almost daily basis, exposing our email addresses, passwords, credit card numbers, social security numbers and other highly sensitive data.

Unfortunately, most people do not understand the gravity of the problem until it personally affects them through identity theft or other malicious activity. Unsurprisingly however, the rate of identity related crime is exploding, and a recent study claims that there is a new victim of identity theft every 2 seconds in the United States alone.

On top of that, Experian has published statistics showing that 31% of data breach victims later have their identity stolen. Keeping in mind that the number of records exposed through data breaches is so high, this is alarming news.

One important reason for the malaise is that data breaches have seemingly become an inevitable part of modern life. We have to register for online accounts in order to participate in a modern society, and have to swallow the fact that the centralized databases containing our information will sooner or later suffer a breach.

That is why ESelfKey is working on an end-to-end self-sovereign identity management system which will do a much better job of protecting you from data breaches.

You can learn more about our solution here, but for now, let's take a closer look at the damage.

State of the breach June 2020: AT LEAST 16 billion records, including credit card numbers, home addresses, phone numbers and other highly sensitive information, have been exposed through data breaches since 2019. The first quarter of 2020 has been one of the worst in data breach history, with over 8 billion records exposed.

Check out Have I Been Pwned to see if your accounts have been compromised by a data breach.

Undisclosed Number of Users – Samsung, July 2022

Samsung, in August 2022, admitted that a security incident in their U.S systems led to unauthorized third-party access and a data breach that affected an undisclosed number of users has happened. Samsung officially confirmed that personal information, including contact, DOB, and product registration information, was stolen. This was the second data breach for Samsung in 2022, as in March, the company reported that a hacker group had gained access to some of their confidential source code, including a biometric lock algorithm.

5.4 Million Users – Twitter, January 2022

Twitter suffered a data breach in January 2022. This time the hackers exploited a security vulnerability to build a database of personal information, including email addresses and phone numbers of 5.4 million users. Twitter acknowledged the incident in early August.

533 Million Users – Facebook, April 03, 2021

Facebook was associated with large data breaches more than a few times in the past. Being one of the largest social media platforms, the data breaches happening for Facebook have always proved critical. The most recent data breach of Facebook has exposed the personal data of 533 Million users. The data exposed included phone numbers, DOB, locations, past locations, full name, and in some cases, email addresses.

Over 1 Million - OneClass, June 29, 2020

Online learning platforms have become increasingly popular targets for data breaches over the past few months as the education world has gone digital. Unfortunately, OneClass is no exception and left the data of over a million North American students (many of them minors) exposed on an unsecured Elasticsearch server. The data exposed included students’ full names, email addresses, schools/universities, phone numbers, account details and school enrollment details.

Over 2 Billion - BlueKai, June 19, 2020

US tech giant Oracle owns BlueKai, a company very few have heard of outside of marketing circles but it possesses one of the largest banks of web tracking data outside of the federal government. The company uses website cookies, and other tracking technology, to follow your activities on the web then sells that data to companies and marketing firms.

For an unknown period of time, all of that web tracking data was left exposed on a server without a password. Billions of records were unsecured for anyone to find. The data exposed included names, home addresses, email addresses and other identifiable data including web browsing activity. The details are still fuzzy. Oracle says that they have taken care of the problem but haven’t offered up any information as to how this happened and who was affected.

At Least 8 Million - Postbank, June 14, 2020

The Postbank in South Africa has had to replace over 12 million bank cards after an unencrypted master key was stolen by employees. The master key granted anyone complete access to the bank’s systems and the ability to change information on any of the bank’s 12 million cards. The breach specifically affected between 8 and 10 million beneficiaries who receive social grants every month. It’s still unclear if any funds were stolen, and exactly what data was exposed.

5 Billion - Keepnet Labs, June 9, 2020

Keepnet Labs is a UK security company that initially experienced a breach back in March 2020 when a database was exposed containing data that had been previously been exposed in other data breaches. After being notified, Keepnet Labs quickly took the data down but refused to acknowledge the breach. They even went as far as to pursue legal action against at least one tech reporter who had written about the breach.

The breach was finally acknowledged this month when Keepnet Labs issued a statement saying that they were not directly responsible, but rather a third party provider was. Although no new data was exposed, it’s ironic that a security company would experience a data breach.

329,000 - Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada, June 4, 2020

Chartered Professional Accountants of Canada (CPA) experienced a cyberattack early in the month that allowed unauthorized third parties to gain access to the personal information of over 329,000 members and stakeholders. The stolen information was mostly related to the distribution of the CPA Canada magazine and included personal data such as names, addresses, email addresses, and employer information.

Passwords and credit card numbers were also exposed, but CPA Canada says they were all protected by encryption. Anyone affected by the breach has been notified by the company, and CPA Canada notified the relevant authorities.

47.5 Million - Truecaller, May 27, 2020

The personal data of 47.5 million Indians was found for sale on the dark web for $1,000, and is claimed to have originated from the popular caller ID and spam blocking app Truecaller. Personal information such as phone numbers, service providers, names, genders, and more was made available.

However, Truecaller denies there was a breach at all. Truecaller suffered a previous data breach in May 2019, and the company suggests that it is the same data set that is for sale. If Truecaller has suffered a breach this month, then it’s a case of gross negligence, or it could just be criminals trying to make a quick buck.

26.3 Million - LiveJournal, May 27, 2020

For years rumors have circled that blogging platform LiveJournal suffered from a data breach, and many users have reportedly received extortion letters tied to their LiveJournal accounts. The breach was finally confirmed this month by multiple hackers who are selling the user data on the dark web. It’s unclear what year the breach actually took place, but the details weren’t revealed until this month when Have I Been Pwnd? received a copy of the leaked user database.

The data that was breached included usernames, emails, and plaintext passwords of over 26 million users. LiveJournal and it’s parent company, DreamWidth, have yet to acknowledge the breach despite users complaining of having their data stolen for years.

8.3 Billion - AIS, May 25, 2020

Thailand’s largest cellphone network pulled a database containing billions of Thai internet users offline after discovering records were being leaked for over two weeks. The passwordless database was discovered by security researcher Justin Paine who quickly notified AIS about the massive breach.

AIS has come out saying that no personal information was made available, but unfortunately, that’s just not true. The leaked data included DNS queries, which have the potential to let authorities and hackers know who was visiting which websites and from where. This is particularly problematic as Thailand has incredibly strict censorship laws, and if the authorities get ahold of the leaked data, it could lead to arrests.

25 Million - Mathway, May 25, 2020

A popular website for helping students and children learn mathematics suffered from a data breach, resulting in more than 25 million records being exposed. The breach was only discovered when the records were being sold on the dark web earlier in May. So far, it is believed that only emails and hashed passwords were exposed.

Over 1 Million - EHTERAZ, May 22, 2020

While many governments have talked about using an app to track the spread of COVID-19, only a handful of countries have actually created one. In Qatar, the app used by the government to track COVID-19, EHTERAZ, is compulsory. Unfortunately, due to inadequate security measures, the app suffered a data breach exposing the sensitive personal information of over one million residents.

Information such as names, birth dates, national ID numbers, location, and health status were all made available. It is unknown how long this data was exposed for, but luckily the Qatari government was quick to act.

2.3 Million - Indonesia, May 22, 2020

The private data of over two million voters in Indonesia was found for sale on the dark web, along with a threat to release a further 200 million records. It’s unclear exactly where the data came from, and how it got stolen, but some of the records date back as far as 2013. Information such as home addresses, names, and national ID numbers were breached. The investigation is still ongoing.

9 Million - EasyJet - May 19, 2020

European budget airline EasyJet suffered a major breach that began in January 2020 but didn’t notify customers until April and May 2020. Emails and travel information were amongst the information that was breached, and over 2,000 customers had their credit and debit card details accessed.

EasyJet has declined to say how the attack happened, and who committed it. Thanks to the GDPR, EasyJet could face a major fine if they are discovered to have inadequate security measures in place.

9 Million - CDEC Express, May 14, 2020

Russian delivery company, CDEC Express, suffered a major breach when it was discovered that the records of 9 million customers were for sale on the dark web. CDEC Express has denied that they were the ones who were breached, stating that personal data is collected many companies and that they were not the source. Information such as the delivery of goods, buyer information, and tax ID numbers were all breached.

3.7 Million - MobiFriends, May 11, 2020

Millions of users of a popular online dating app, MobiFriends, were hacked early in May. The breached data includes dates of birth, gender, website activity, mobile numbers, usernames, email addresses and MD5 hashed passwords. The breach is believed to have originally taken place in January 2019, but the information has recently been available for sale (and now for free) on the dark web.

21,909,707 - Unacademy, May 3, 2020

One of India’s largest online learning platforms, Unacademy, suffered from a massive breach after a hacker gained access to a database and began selling account information of more than 20 million users. Names, emails, passwords, and account activity were among the data that was stolen. Hackers have claimed to have stolen more data than just user information, but what that may be (and if it’s true) remain to be seen.

91 Million - Tokopedia, May 3, 2020

Indonesia’s largest e-commerce platform, Tokopedia, began investigations after security researchers discovered a treasure trove of customer data for sale on the dark web. However, the initial breach turned out to be far worse than anticipated. The initial number of 15 million records ballooned up to 91 million after the investigation was launched.

While Tokopedia has stated several times that passwords were not included in the data that was leaked, plenty of other personal information was. Names, emails and birthdays were all available for sale, and there were at least two buyers of the information.

Unknown - ExecuPharm, April 27, 2020

Major US pharmaceutical firm ExecuPharm suffered a major data breach in March but didn’t notify the public until a month later. Malicious actors gained access to ExecuPharm’s servers and held them for ransom. Additionally, the hackers also sent out phishing emails to ExecuPharm’s employees.

It’s unclear exactly how many people were affected, but a large amount of sensitive data was leaked including social security numbers, taxpayer IDs, driver’s license numbers, passport numbers, bank account details, credit card numbers, and more. The hackers later went on to publish the stolen data on the dark web.

160,000 - Nintendo, April 24, 2020

Video game giant Nintendo experienced a breach that affected 160,000 users. The issues began in early April when hackers gained access to login IDs and passwords to Nintendo accounts. Malicious actors gained access to nicknames, emails, birth dates, and country of residence. Even worse, some accounts experienced fraudulent purchases.

28,000 - GoDaddy, April 23, 2020

GoDaddy is one of the world’s largest domain registrars and a web hosting company that provides services to roughly 19 million customers around the world. While only 28,000 customers were affected, any breach for a company of this size is a big deal. The data breach itself took place in October 2019 but wasn’t discovered until April 2020.

An unauthorized individual gained access to login credentials for SSH on hosting accounts, and as a result, the breach only affected hosting accounts. So far, it doesn’t appear like any personal information was leaked. That being said, the investigation is still ongoing.

5.2 Million - Marriott, March 31, 2020

This isn’t the first time hotel giant Marriott has suffered a data breach. Back in 2018, 383 million records were leaked. This time, hackers obtained login details of two employees and broke into the system in January 2020. Marriott has said that they have no reason to believe that any payment information was breached, just personal data of their customers (such as names, addresses, and contact information).

29,969 - Norwegian Cruise Line, March 20, 2020

March was already a bad months for cruise lines, and things got a lot worse for Norwegian Cruise Line when one of it’s databases was breached. The leaked information was only regarding travel agents, no guests were affected. Despite being notified of the breach earlier in the month, the company was slow to react and has since attempted to downplay the extent of the breach.

Unknown - Rogers, March 18, 2020

Canadian telecommunications giant Rogers experienced a data breach when one of their external providers inadvertently made information available online that provided access to a customer database. It’s unclear how many customers were affected, but the company has over 10 million wireless subscribers. Rogers stated that although personal information like names, addresses, and contact information was leaked, no payment information or passwords were compromised.

Unknown - Princess Cruises, March 13, 2020

It’s been a rather unfortunate month for Princess Cruises. First they had to suspend operations thanks to COVID-19, then they announced that they had experienced a data breach. The breach actually took place from April to July 2019 and discovered the breach in May 2019. It’s unclear why the cruise line waited so long to notify customers.

An authorized party managed to gain access to employee email accounts and accessed personal information of employees, crew members, and guests. It’s unclear exactly how many people were affected, and Princess Cruises has been pretty quiet about the whole thing.

6.9 Million - The Dutch Government, March 11, 2020

In a rather bizarre turn of events, the Dutch government admitted to losing two external hard drives that contained the personal data of more than 6.9 million organ donors. The hard drives contained records from 1998 to 2010 and had been placed in a vault in 2016. When officials went to access them this year, they were mysteriously gone. So far, there is no evidence that anyone has attempted to use the data.

At Least 81.6 Million - Antheus Tecnologia, March 11, 2020

Brazilian biometric solutions company Antheus Tecnologia suffered from a significant data leak and other security flaws, which lead to an Elasticsearch server containing biometric data to be exposed. An estimated 76,000 fingerprints were on the server. Other records included employee company emails and telephone numbers.

201,162,598 Million - Unknown, March 5, 2020

The Comparitech security research team alongside security expert Bob Diachenko discovered an unprotected Google cloud server containing the personal data of 200 million US residents. The server was originally found in January, and the team worked to identify the owner of the server but couldn’t uncover who they were.

The server was finally taken offline in March, although the data was exposed for at least one month. Most of the data exposed contained personal, demographic, and property information. The majority of the information was incredibly detailed, including things like net worth, property value, mortgage details, and tax assessment info.

900,000 - Virgin Media, March 5, 2020

A Virgin Media database containing the personal information of 900,000 people was left unsecured online for ten months. The data breach is not the result of criminal activity, just negligence on the part of Virgin Media. The database was for marketing purposes and contained information such as names, phone numbers, emails, and home addresses.

The database was accessed by an unknown person while it was available on at least once. Virgin Media reported to incident to the ICO and has launched a full investigation.

330,000 - Slickwraps, February 21, 2020

On the 25th of February The Verge reported that Slickwraps, a company that makes vinyl skins for phones, tablets and laptops, suffered a significant data breach affecting the personal information of over 330,000 customers. Worryingly, the hackers sent out an email blast to all affected users, mentioning their name, home address and an indictment of Slickwraps security measures.

Well that's a big old yikes from @SlickWraps pic.twitter.com/28SOEMIBZ9

— Toneman (@Toneman) February 21, 2020

Unknown - Defence Information Systems Agency, February 11, 2020

The US defence agency that handles secure communications for the White House suffered a data breach between May and July of 2019, but the breach wasn't discovered until February 2020. The Defence Information Systems Agency (DISA) is responsible for direct telecommunications and IT support for President Donald Trump, Vice President Mike Pence, their staff, the U.S. Secret Service, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff and other senior members.

The extent of the breach, including how many were affected and what data was compromised, is unclear as DISA has been extremely tight-lipped. The agency employs over 8,000 military and civilian employees according to their website.

Unknown - The United Nations, January 29, 2020

Hackers compromised dozens of UN servers in the summer of 2019, yet the world body kept it a secret, even from it's own employees. While the size of the breach is unclear, staff records, health insurance, and commercial contract data were compromised. As the UN is under diplomatic immunity, they are not required to divulge what data was taken or notify those affected. The UN was allegedly notified about several security issues years ago.

At least 10,000 - LabCorp, January 28, 2020

Clinical laboratory LabCorp suffered an earlier breach in July 2019 when 7.7 million records were stolen. Unfortunately, the security upgrades they must have made were not enough to prevent another breach at the end of January 2020. At least 10,000 patient records were exposed including names, addresses, and in some cases, social security numbers.

250 Million - Microsoft, January 22, 2020

Microsoft didn't have a great start to 2020. 250 million customer service and support records, going all the way back to 2005, were breached. Microsoft has said that only email addresses and IP addresses were exposed, but security researchers believe that it goes beyond that.

According to Microsoft, the records were not publicly available as they were stored on an internal data base and were only exposed for just under a month. The tech giant conducted an internal investigation and claims that there was no sign of malicious use.

2.4 Million - Wyze, December 30, 2019

The smart camera provider Wyze suffered two breaches at the end of December when databases were left exposed for over two weeks. So far, it appears that only email addresses were leaked. Smart cameras are starting to become a popular target for hacks.

Unknown - Wawa, December 19, 2019

Wawa is a convenience store chain on the east coast of the US, and suffered a massive data breach involving payment information starting in March 2019. The breach wasn’t discovered until December, and it is believed that thousands have been affected. Card numbers and customers names are amongst some of the data that was stolen.

267 Million - Facebook, December 19, 2019

Security expert Bob Diachenko discovered that a database containing personal information of more than 267 million Facebook users had been left exposed. The exposed data included names, phone numbers, and Facebook IDs. Hackers in Vietnam are believed to be responsible.

15 million - LifeLabs, December 17, 2019

In what is believed to be the largest breach in Canadian history, medical testing company LifeLabs suffered a hack in October that left 15 million records of patient data exposed. The breach wasn’t announced until December, and the company is now facing a billion dollar class action lawsuit.

Unknown - OnePlus, November 23, 2019

Indiatoday.in has reported that the popular Chinese smartphone manufacturer, OnePlus, has suffered a significant data breach. According to the OnePlus security team, an unauthorized party managed to access customer information by exploiting a vulnerability in the OnePlus website. This information includes phone numbers, email addresses, first and last names, as well as shipping addresses. As of now payment information does not seem to have been compromised and it is not yet clear how many people have been affected.

1 Million - T-Mobile, November 22, 2019

T-Mobile, the multi-national wireless network operator, suffered a major data breach, reportedly affecting over 1 million customers. The exposed data includes phone numbers, billing addresses, T-Mobile account numbers, names, and details about rates and plans.

The news comes at a particularly bad time, as customers suffer a heightened risk of identity fraud during the holidays, while T-Mobile's attempted merger with Sprint may now face more intense scrutiny.

1.2 Billion - Unknown, 22 November 22, 2019

An unprotected server containing 1.2 billion records of personal data was found by security researchers. Renowned security experts Vinny Troia and Bob Diachenko found the Elasticsearch server and soon concluded that the data had been sourced by a data enrichment company. This would explain the breath-taking size of the breach, which exposed 622 million unique email address, as well as social media profiles, phone numbers, employers and even job titles.

3 Million - UniCredit, October 28, 2019

3 Million customers of the Italian Bank UniCredit have had their sensitive information exposed by a major data breach. The compromised information includes the names, telephone numbers, email addresses and even cities where clients were registered. ZDNet reports that, although UniCredit operates internationally, all exposed records related to Italian customers.

Yet unknown - 7-Eleven, October 25, 2019

The 7-Eleven fuel app was taken offline on Thursday after customers reported that they could access the personal information of other app users. The information reportedly included the amount of money in their account, names, email addresses, phone numbers and their date of birth. According to the Guardian, the app has been downloaded over 2 million times.

Yet unknown - Web.com, October 16, 2019

On the 16th of October the domain name registration service Web.com announced a serious data breach. According to the disclosure notice an unauthorized third-party gained access to a limited number of their computer systems in late August. According to the statement no credit card data was compromised as a result of the incident.

XX Million - Malindo Air, September 18, 2019

Malindo Air, the low-cost Indonesian Airline, has confirmed a significant data breach affecting millions of passengers. The information, including names, home addresses, phone numbers and even passport numbers, has already been leaked on public forums meaning that those affected, likely already face a much higher risk of identity theft and fraud.

20 Million - Novaestrat, September 16, 2019

A massive data breach has reportedly affected almost the entire population of Ecuador. Security company vpnMentor was the first to identify the breach, when their research team found a Miami-based Elasticsearch server run by the Ecuadorian company Noaestrat.

The breach is particularly damaging, due to the extensive quantity of information stored about each individual. This includes birth dates, names, contact information, national identification numbers, tax payer identification numbers, driving records and bank account balances. The information was seemingly compiled by several Ecuadorian government registries, automotive associations and the Ecuadorian national bank. Among the affected are reportedly six million children.

50,000 - Get, September 9, 2019

According to the Guardian, the personal details of around 50,000 university students have been exposed. An app designed to facilitate payments for university clubs and societies, called Get, apparently allowed unauthorized users to get access to other users' data, including names, email addresses, date of birth and phone numbers.

14 Million - Hostinger, August 25, 2019

Techcrunch reported that the popular web hosting service Hostinger suffered a major data breach affecting millions of users. According to the report, a hacker gained access to the company's systems including an API database. That database contained customer usernames, email addresses and passwords.

Hostinger has said that the API database stored roughly 14 million customers' records.

1 Million - Suprema, August 14, 2019

One of the leading biometrics companies, Suprema, left the fingerprints, facial recognition information, unencrypted usernames and passwords of over 1 million people on an unencrypted database. The Guardian broke the story, reporting that Suprema's data is used by the UK Metropolitan police and 5,700 other organizations.

23 Million - CafePress, August 5, 2019

The personal information of over 23 million CafePress customers has been exposed according to multiple reports. The custom T-shirt and merchandise company has yet to issue a statement but the exposed data has been circulating in hacker forums for weeks. The data breach involved the names, usernames, email addresses, passwords, and physical addresses.

50 Million - Poshmark, August 1, 2019

The US-based fashion platform Poshmark suffered a significant data breach according to a blog post on their site. An unauthorized third party managed to access the email addresses, names, user names, and even clothing size preferences of Poshmark users.

It is still unclear how many people are affected but Poshmark is said to have around 50 million users.

100 Million - Capital One, July 29, 2019

The New York Times is reporting that a former Software Engineer hacked the database of Capital One and obtained the personal information of more than 100 million people. Federal prosecutors have named it one of the largest data breaches in history with potentially devastating consequences.

In addition to millions of stolen credit card applications - Capital One is the third largest issuer of credit cards in the US - the breach also compromised one million Canadian social insurance numbers.

300,000 - QuickBit, July 22, 2019

On the 22nd of July, Coindesk reported that the Swedish cryptocurrency exchange QuickBit suffered an extensive data breach. According to the report, the digital asset platform unknowingly leaked the data of 300,000 customers via an unprotected MongoDB database.

The exposed data included full names, addresses, email addresses, user gender, and dates of birth.

5 Million - Bulgaria's National Revenue Agency, July 17, 2019

Bulgaria suffered a devastating data breach and the largest in its history according to The Next Web. Hackers managed to breach the National Revenue Agency and access highly sensitive information of 5 Million citizens. Bulgaria's population stands at 7 Million, meaning that almost everyone is affected.

The compromised data includes personal identifiable numbers, addresses, and even income data. The hackers sent a download link to local media and stated: "The state of your cyber-security is a parody." An investigation into the extent and ramifications of the data breach are under way.

14,600 - Los Angeles County Department of Health Services, July 10, 2019

CBS Los Angeles reported that malicious actors managed to use a phishing attack to access highly sensitive personal information of 14,600 patients. 2019 has been a horrific year for customer privacy in the medical industry, with breaches occurring on an almost weekly basis.

According to reports, the Los Angeles County Department of Health is in the process of notifying patients. The phishing attack happened in March 2019, and the hackers seemingly had access to employee accounts for several hours. Among the exposed information is: names, addresses, phone numbers and patient information.

78,000 - Maryland Dept. of Labor, July 6, 2019

According to Yahoo News, 78,000 people may have had their personal information exposed, due to a data breach affecting Maryland's Department of Labor. The data reportedly occurred earlier this year and no evidence of malicious activity was found. Nevertheless, the Department is offering all affected customers two years free credit monitoring.

Mars Mission Data - NASA, June 24, 2019

On the 24th of June it was reported that NASA had experienced a significant security incident. According to this report, an unauthorized individual managed to access NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, making off with highly sensitive information. The hacker supposedly went undetected for 10 months and had access to many critical projects - including details about NASA's Curiosity Rover.

11 Million - Emuparadise, June 10, 2019

ZDNet has reported that 11 million user accounts of the popular gaming emulator Emuparadise were exposed after a recent data breach. The user passwords were stored as salted MD5 hashes, a form of encryption deemed unsafe since 2012, and were easily cracked. The full extent of the breach is still unknown, although ZDNet claims that passwords, email addresses, IP addresses and usernames are involved.

7.7 Million - Labcorp, June 4, 2019

Just a day after Quest Diagnostics announced its breach, another company dealing with highly sensitive medical records announced a major security incident. According to USA Today, Labcorp was also using the collections firm American Medical Collection Agency (AMCA), which experienced a supposed breach earlier this month. Specifics are hard to come by, but names, addresses, dates of birth, and balance information are likely among the compromised data.

11.9 Million - Quest Diagnostics, June 3, 2019

Quest Diagnostics, a clinical laboratory company, announced that an "unauthorized user" gained access to the medical records and social security numbers of up to 12 million customers. Information is still sparse, but it appears that AMCA, a billing vendor used by Quest, was exploited for the attack. All parties are working closely together to understand the full scope of the data breach.

Unknown - Checkers Restaurants, May 30, 2019

ZDNet reported that hackers breached the security systems of Checkers Restaurants and installed malware which infiltrated the restaurant chain's point of sale software. As a result, the hackers managed to steal customers' payment card number, cardholder name, expiration date and card verification code.

Hundreds of locations have been affected although the total number of impacted customers is still unknown.

Unknown - Flipboard, May 29, 2019

The popular news aggregation app Flipboard announced that it had detected unauthorized access to some of its databases between June 2, 2018 and March 23, 2019. It's still unclear how many of the 145 million monthly users are affected, but names, email addresses and cryptographically protected passwords are among the exposed data.

139 Million - Canva, May 28, 2019

Marketingland reported that the leading graphic design tool Canva had experienced a cyber attack which affected up to 139 million users. According to the report, the attack targeted usernames, email addresses and passwords, although luckily credit card details were not compromised. Canva is particularly popular among entrepreneurs and online marketers from all over the world.

885 million - First American, May 25, 2019

Renowned cyber security experts Krebs on Security reported that Fortune 500 giant First American Financial Corp exposed customers' bank account numbers, statements, mortgage as well as tax records through its faulty website. 885 million highly sensitive records were leaked to anyone who knew where to look, with the records going back to 2003.

49 Million - Chtrbox, May 20, 2019

An unsecured database seemingly belonging to Chtrbox, a Mumbai-based social media marketing firm, was discovered online. TechCrunch reports that the database contained more than 49 million records comprising bio info, email address, phone number, and profile picture of millions of Instagram users.

1.5 Million - Freedom Mobile, May 9, 2019

The VPN Mentor research team discovered a data breach which exposed the personal information of 1.5 million Freedom Mobile users. Worryingly, the data included credit card numbers and CVV numbers, meaning that significant financial damage will likely be incurred as a result.

1.6 Million - AMC Networks, May 1, 2019

Renowned security expert Bob Diachenko discovered a publicly available MongoDB instance exposing the data of 1.6 million AMC network subscribers. The subscriber information contained names, emails, subscription plan details and more personally identifiable information. This is another alarming example of failure to meet the very lowest security standards.

Unknown - Atlanta Hawks, April 23, 2019

Struggling Basketball teams are just as vulnerable to data breaches as governments, businesses and Universities. On April 23, CNet reported that the Atlanta Hawks eCommerce store had been infected with malware designed to steal the payment information of customers. Expert Willem De Groot identified the notorious hacking group Magecart as the culprit and the Atlanta Hawks are still investigating the full extent of the hack.

9 Million - Bodybuilding.com, April 22, 2019

One of the biggest service providers in the fitness industry, bodybuilding.com, suffered a serious hacking attack potentially impacting its 9 million users. According to Forbes, a sophisticated phishing attack had allowed hackers to gain access to the highly sensitive data including billing addresses, names, email addresses and birth dates.

Unknown - Microsoft Email Services, April 15, 2019

Popular email services msn.com, hotmail.com and outlook.com were affected by a significant data breach according to TechCrunch. The vulnerability seemingly existed between January 1st and March 28 2019, and allowed hackers to access email accounts.

540 Million - Facebook, April 2, 2019

Mark Zuckerberg was in the news for all the wrong reasons in April 2019. The (so far) newest addition to the litany of blunders involved exposing the personal records of over 540 million Facebook users. According to TechCrunch, cybersecurity experts found the data on an unsecured, publicly accessible database.

1.3 Million - Georgia Tech, April 2, 2019

Universities are just as likely to get hacked as a business or government organization. On April 2nd, a host of highly sensitive personal information managed by Georgia Tech was accessed by a hacker. The information of 1.3 million faculty members, students and employees was affected according to patch.com. Social Security Numbers, birth days, names and addresses were breached.

980 Million - Verifications.io, March 29, 2019

Towards the end of March 2019, cybersecurity expert Bob Diachenko found an unsecured database containing 982 million email addresses along with names, genders, employers and home addresses. The server was unsecured and available to anyone who knew were to look. Upon notification verifications.io, the company seemingly behind the database, shut down its website and ostensibly ceased to operate.

2 Million - Earl Enterprises, March 29, 2019

The credit card information of more than 2 million customers of Earl Enterprises was stolen and later sold according to krebsonsecurity.com. Criminals managed to install sophisticated malware on the company’s point of sale software, allowing them to syphon off the highly sensitive payment information.

1.8 Million - Federal Emergency Management Agency, March 22, 2019

Data breaches are particularly harmful when they affect vulnerable people. In March 2019, the Washington Post reported that 1.8 million disaster survivors had their banking information plus their home addresses accidentally shared with contractors. These people had primarily sought shelter after wildfires and hurricanes.

2 Million - Oregon Department of Human Services, March 21, 2019

Government organizations are just as likely to suffer data breaches as hospitals, businesses and two person startups. On March 21st, the Oregon Department of Human Services announced that poorly trained employees had fallen for a phishing attack, comprising highly sensitive personal information of roughly 1.6 million people. This includes emails, addresses, names and much more.

600 Million - Facebook, March 21, 2019

Facebook has a long history of privacy abuses and data scandals. At the end of March 2019, the social media giant admitted that it had failed to secure the passwords of 600 million users since around 2012. Thousands of Facebook employees had access to the millions of unsecured records, which were stored in a plain text file.

1.5 Million - Gearbest, March 14, 2019

In March, the VPN Monitor research team reported that Gearbest, a highly successful Chinese eCommerce company, had a completely unsecured database. The VPN Monitor team managed to access a database containing 1.5 million records. Alarmingly, the information contained payment information, billing address, order history and much more highly sensitive information.

2.4 Million - Dow Jones, March 1, 2019

One of the most significant data breaches ever occurred on March 1st, when more than 2 million identity records including government officials and politicians was leaked online. According to reports from Zdnet, the information was stored, alarmingly, on a publicly accessible database.

1 Million - UW Medicine, February 20, 2019

February 20th was a particularly bad day for the personal data of medical patients as both Advent and UW Medicine reported significant data breaches. In the case of the UW Medicine data breach, nearly 1 million people were affected by a simple bug: A problem with the platforms server indexed highly sensitive data on search engine’s, meaning that patient’s financial history, passwords, social security and more were available with a simple Google search.

42,000 - Advent Health, February 20, 2019

Data breaches affecting medical records are particularly hazardous. In February, the Advent Health Medical Group notified its members of a 16-month long data breach exposing medical histories, social security numbers and a host of highly sensitive information. According to reports, 42,000 individuals were affected.

14.8 Million - 500px, February 15, 2019

The popular photo sharing site 500px was hacked, exposing the data of 14.8 million users. Information such as names, usernames, emails, locations, gender, and birth dates were revealed. The website notified its users and forced a password reset, although the hack happened in July 2018 and they weren’t aware of it until February 2019.

6 Million - Coffee Meets Bagel, February 14, 2019

In a case of ironically poor timing, the dating app Coffee Meets Bagel announced a data breach just in time for Valentine’s Day. While only names and emails of users were exposed, the breach impacted approximated 6 million people.

Unknown - Dunkin’ Donuts, February 12, 2019

Dunkin’ Donuts announced a data breach for the second time in three months, affecting DD Perks rewards members. Hackers used credential stuffing attacks to gain access to customer accounts, then sold them on the Dark Web for profit. The first of these attacks happened at the end of November, and although the company didn’t say how many customers had been affected, there are currently 10 million DD Perks members.

24,000 - EyeSouth Partners, February 6, 2019

An unauthorized third party gained access to an employee email account of Georgia-based EyeSouth Partners. Over 24,000 patients had their data compromised, such as names, health insurance information, and account balance information.

Unknown - Huddle House, February 4, 2019

The US-based casual dining and fast food restaurant chain, Huddle House had their point of sale system compromised, giving hackers the ability to install malware to steal the payment information of customers between August 2017 and February 2019. How much damage was done is still unclear as Huddle House is continuing their investigation.

20,000 - Catawba Valley Medical Center, February 4, 2019

Phishing scams seems to be a popular and effective cyberattack in the medical industry, as three employee email accounts at Catawba Valley Medical Center were hacked by one in the summer months of 2018. An estimated 20,000 patients of the North Carolina-based medical facility had their names, birth dates, social security numbers, and personal health information exposed in the attack.

Unknown - Houzz, January 31, 2019

To finish off January, the popular home improvement website Houzz announced a data breach affecting users of their platform. While Houzz did not disclose how many people were affected by the breach, the site has approximately 40 million users. The company stated that public profile information such as names, locations, usernames, and hashed passwords were taken by an unauthorized third party.

23,000 - Critical Care, Pulmonary & Sleep Associates, January 31, 2019

Employees of the Critical Care, Pulmonary & Sleep Associates (CCPSA) fell for a phishing attack that led to approximately 23,000 patients having their data breached. The Colorado-based healthcare facility realized that the hacker had access to names, dates of birth, addresses, medical information, social security numbers, and driver’s licenses for three months

100,000 - Alaska Department of Health & Social Services, January 23, 2019

Alaska’s Division of Public Assistance was the target of a cyberattack that exposed data of at least 100,000 people. It is still unknown who the attacker was, but they were able to access the names, birth dates, addresses, social security numbers, health information, and income of people who had applied for government programs.

24 Million - Ascension, January 23, 2019

The data analytics company Ascension, based in Fort-Worth, Texas, left more than 24 million mortgage and banking documents unprotected in an online database for at least two weeks. According to a report from TechCrunch, the documents included people’s names, addresses, dates of birth, social security numbers, and financial information.

108 Million - Various Online Betting Sites, January 23, 2019

Four different online betting sites stored data on Elasticsearch cloud storage without securing it. Approximately 108 million records were breached including names, addresses, emails, phone numbers, usernames, birth dates, IP addresses, account balances, games played, and win and loss information. If you’ve placed bets via kahunacasino.com, azur-casino.com, easybet.com, or viproomcasino.net, your information was likely exposed.

12,000 - Graeters Ice Cream, January 22, 2019

The Cincinnati-based purveyor of sweets, Graeter’s Ice Cream notified approximately 12,000 online customers that their data had been compromised. Malicious code was discovered on the company’s checkout page which captured customer data such as customer credit card details, names, addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers.

20,000 - BlackRock Inc., January 22, 2019

The world’s largest asset manager, BlackRock, accidentally leaked the information of as many as 20,000 financial advisors. The company had posted confidential spreadsheets which contained information related to the advisors who work with BlackRock’s iShares unit. The names, emails, and assets managed by advisors were amongst the information that was exposed.

773 Million - Collection #1, January 17, 2019

On the same day, security researcher Troy Hunt discovered a massive database of leaked data on a cloud storage site called MEGA. The database contained over 773 million emails and 22 million passwords, amalgamated from thousands of different data breaches dating back to 2008. The information was also shared on a popular hacking forum, so it is unknown who exactly accessed the data. Needless to say, it doesn’t look good. If you are worried that your credentials have been compromised, you can check on Have I Been Pwned?

Unknown - Oklahoma Department of Securities, January 17, 2019

The Oklahoma Department of Securities (ODS) left millions of government files exposed and unprotected on an open server belonging to the agency. Amongst the exposed files were records pertinent to FBI investigations. The oldest records that were exposed dated back to 1986, and range from personal data to login credentials and internal communications records. The ODS is currently investigating how many records were exposed, who may have accessed them and the potential damage this data breach may have caused.

Unknown - Fortnite, January 16, 2019

The popular online video game Fortnite was found to have exposed players to being hacked. A security firm called Check Point discovered the vulnerabilities in the game and alerted Fortnite to the threat. The vulnerabilities could have allowed malicious actors to take over the account of any player, view their personal information, purchase V-bucks (the in-game currency), and listen in to game chatter. While it is unknown just how many users were affected, Fortnite has 200 million users worldwide of which 80 million are active each month.

31,000 - Managed Health Services of Indiana, January 11, 2019

A phishing attack on the Managed Health Services of Indiana (MHS) exposed the health information of more than 31,000 patients in 2018 and was not discovered until January. The compromised data included names, insurance ID numbers, dates of birth, addresses, and medical conditions. While the MHS says there has been no evidence that the data has been misused, patients were obviously upset.

Unknown - OXO, January 10, 2019

The New York-based manufacturer, OXO discovered that they had been hacked in two separate incidents over the past two years. Both hacks exposed customer information entered on their website. OXO found unauthorized code on their website which collected customer names, addresses, and credit card information. The company has declined to announce the number of customers who were affected by the breach.

Unknown - BenefitMall, January 7, 2019

BenefitMall, a US provider of HR, payroll, and employer services, announced a data breach that occurred after an email phishing attack compromised employee login credentials. The exact extent of this breach is unknown as the company has not released the exact number of records that were affected by the attack. That being said, the stolen information could include customer information such as names, social security numbers, addresses, bank account numbers, dates of birth, and information about their insurance premiums.

Unknown - DiscountMugs.com, January 4, 2019

A major online retailer of custom mugs and apparel, DiscountMugs.com was hacked over a four-month period during the latter half of 2018. Although the company did not disclose how many customers were affected by the breach, it is believed to be upwards of several thousand. A malicious card skimming code had been placed in the company’s payment section of their website and hackers were able to steal full card payment details, names, emails, phone numbers, and addresses.

7.6 Million - BlankMediaGames, January 3, 2019

In almost no time at all, the next great data breach occurred the day after Blur announced their breach. This time, the information of 7.6 million gamers had been stolen during a hack of the game Town of Salem by BlankMediaGames (BMG). According to BMGs announcement, the server had been compromised and emails, usernames, IP addresses, in-game purchases, and in-game activity had been exposed.

2.4 Million - Blur, January 2, 2019

It didn’t take long for the first major breach announcement of 2019. Blur announced a breach after an unsecured server exposed a file containing 2.4 million user names, email addresses, password hints, IP addresses, and encrypted passwords. The password management company urged their users to change their Blur login credentials and enable two-factor authentication.

What is China's Social Credit System and What Does it Mean for Online Identity?

SelfKey — Tue, 24 Mar 2020 13:04:11 +0000

China’s Social Credit System (SCS) has been in the news for over a year now. Not only will the system have a massive effect on the country’s 1.4 billion citizens, but there are massive implications when it comes to digital identity too. The idea sounds Orwellian, but it’s a lot more complicated than it appears to be.

The system was first proposed in 2014 and was meant to roll out this year, but it will likely be another couple of years before it is fully operational. In this article, we outline what exactly China’s Social Credit System is, how it works, the criticisms it has faced, and the implications it has on big data and online identity. Let’s dive in.

What is China’s Social Credit System?

China’s Social Credit System is similar to how a regular credit score functions. Now a normal credit score only deals with your current financial state and financial history. A typical credit score is decided by five different factors: payment history, utilization, length of credit history, recent activity, and overall capacity. However, China’s social credit score expands the typical credit score system into all ways of life.

According to the Chinese government, the system is designed to monitor and engineer better behavior on an individual level and a business level. The system awards good behavior, which leads to a higher score, and punishes bad behavior, which leads to a lower score. China already has the bones of this system in place (some cities and provinces have created their own version of SCS to curb what is deemed to be negative behavior) but the SCS takes this activity to a whole new level.

How the SCS works

The SCS has a few different functions. There is one system for citizens, one for businesses and other organizations, and one for government officials. While the full system has not been rolled out yet, here’s what we know so far from pilot systems and reports. Do keep in mind that there is no unified Social Credit System yet; different regions are currently using different methods.

For citizens, everyone starts with the same score (the city of Rongcheng gives citizens 1000 points to start). Citizens are then closely monitored in all areas of life and are rated on how they behave. Users can increase their points by doing things such as making donations, praising the Chinese government online, and helping the less fortunate. Having more points means that users are more likely to receive a promotion at work, get priority status for their children’s school admissions, tax breaks, and better access to loans and other financial services. Doesn’t sound too bad, right?

However, having a lower score can lead to disastrous consequences, and losing points is easy. Users can lose points by not visiting their elderly parents, traffic violations, cheating in online games, failing to sincerely apologize for crimes committed, and spreading rumors on the internet. Having a lower score can mean that users are not able to travel by plane or train, aren’t eligible for certain jobs, can be subject to public shaming, and can be denied full access to public services.

For businesses, the SCS focuses more on ensuring that the laws are followed, taxes are paid on time, and that product and service quality are adequate. According to the Chinese government, the goal is to create a fair, transparent, and predictable business environment. However, the corporate side of SCS poses some difficult problems.

For instance, businesses need to take responsibility for their business partners. Even if a company meets all of the legal requirements, they can still be penalized if another company they work with is on a blacklist. Because of this, companies with a lower score will have an incredibly difficult time forming partnerships with reputable businesses.

Companies with a lower score on the SCS face more frequent and intense auditing, the possibility of public shaming, and may even be excluded from public procurement opportunities. Businesses can land on a blacklist from either having a low score, or for a particular type of violation.

The third part of the SCS, for government officials, focuses on how well government orders are carried out. Essentially, the Chinese government wants to ensure that officials are politically loyal, performing well, and corruption-free.

It is important to note that all three branches within the SCS function differently. Individuals are scored differently from businesses, who are scored differently from government officials. So far, no regional government has enforced all three aspects of the SCS.

Criticisms of the SCS

Why so many are scared of the SCS is because some of the “crimes” are incredibly ambiguous (how do you know if someone’s apology is insincere?), and the punishments are extreme and take away basic human rights from Chinese citizens. For example, in 2016 a Chinese lawyer was not allowed to buy a plane ticket because an apology he had issued was deemed to be insincere. Judging how sincere someone’s apology is is incredibly subjective, and not something that should prevent a person from having basic rights.

That being said, Chinese citizens are already under an incredible amount of government surveillance and there have been no criticisms of the SCS from within the country. Probably because its citizens are too scared to speak up.

There are also doubts that the SCS will ever be rolled out on a national level. The program was supposed to start this year, and while individual cities and provinces have laid some groundwork, the Chinese government has yet to introduce anything nationally. The full roll out of the program could be years away simply due to the vastness of China. However, four provincial level governments already have their own version of the SCS.

The Chinese government faces other problems too, specifically regarding corruption. The whole purpose of the SCS is to share information and be transparent. If people are focused on their own interests over the government’s, that’s a big power struggle waiting to happen.

How the SCS impacts online identity

One of the biggest implications of the SCS is the sheer amount of data that the Chinese government will have access to. The SCS is perpetual surveillance, and a massive collection of personal information will be available about each citizen. The system effectively strips Chinese citizens of any rights to their online identity.

Unfortunately, this isn’t anything new for China. The internet is already heavily censored in China, and law enforcement in the country has been using facial recognition software and drones to identify citizens who are breaking the law. The control Chinese citizens have over their online identity is negligible right now, but with the SCS, it disappears completely.

It’s a disturbing realization. In the Western world, we spend a fair amount of time and effort trying to keep our online identity from falling into the wrong hands. Although data breaches are a regular occurence, ultimately we can choose what to delete and use tools to help keep our personal information safe. In China, these options don’t exist. Under the SCS, the government watches your every move both online and offline. Online identity is public, and can be used against you if you make a wrong decision in the eyes of the government.

And then there is the issue of how all of this data is protected. The regional versions of the SCS combine both traditional and digital monitoring. Some believe that China’s current technological capabilities have been overestimated. In fact when news network ABC Australia contacted the government agency tasked with creating the SCS for a statement, they were asked to send their request by fax. Which makes you wonder, how protected is all of this personal information online and how vulnerable is it to hackers? We might not get the answers to these questions until the country suffers a massive data breach.

Conclusion - China’s Social Credit System and Online Identity

China’s Social Credit System is frightening in more ways than one. Much of it feels like an episode of Black Mirror, and that presumption isn’t wrong. Not only does the SCS limit personal freedoms on a system that is astoundingly arbitrary, but it prevents Chinese citizens and businesses from regaining a positive status.

Online identity is something that is already incredibly fragile in China right now. When the SCS comes into effect, any personal control is gone. It is already incredibly difficult for Chinese citizens to speak out against their government today. Citizens can disappear, be placed under house arrest, forced to stay in the country, or have their family threatened for expressing dissent. Once the SCS is in place, dissent becomes nearly impossible.

While the SCS has yet to roll out, and it’s unclear when that will happen, it will fundamentally alter the concept of not only online identity, but also human rights. The implications are frightening, and it’s unclear what, if anything, can be done to prevent it.

How COVID-19 Could Impact Your Data Security

SelfKey — Sat, 21 Mar 2020 14:07:22 +0000

The COVID-19 pandemic (commonly referred to as the Coronavirus) is having an incredible impact on our lives. Countries like China and Italy are in complete lockdown, and the US-Canada border is closing for the first time in nearly twenty years. For many, our lives are fundamentally changing, and the future is feeling uncertain.

However, COVID-19 has brought about changes in unexpected areas of our lives, in particular surrounding our data security. Cybercrime has been noticeably increasing, and there are concerns that ransomware attacks could disrupt both government and healthcare organizations. Here’s everything you need to know, including how to stay safe.

The current state of data security

The past year was not great for your data security. There were innumerable data breaches and billions of records were exposed. What has been notable is that there has been an increase in government agencies and healthcare companies becoming victims of data breaches. To give you some perspective, the following government or healthcare organizations were hacked in the last twelve months: the United Nations, the US Defence Information Systems Agency, LabCorp, LifeLabs, Bulgaria’s National Revenue Agency, Los Angeles County Dept. of Health Services, Maryland Dept. of Labor, and many, many more.

Why exactly has there been an increase in targeting these types of organizations? There are a couple of reasons. The first is that, unfortunately, government agencies are generally not the most technologically advanced when it comes to cybersecurity and this makes them a prime target for data breaches. Old computer systems and out of date security measures allow hackers easy access. Obviously, this is not the case with every government system, but the majority do not have state-of-the-art security protocols in place to prevent breaches.

Secondly, the data that healthcare and government organizations hold is incredibly valuable. In particular, there has been a rise in medical identity theft over the past few years, which makes medical records very appealing to hackers. Additionally, if a criminal has your social security number, they can steal your tax refund. Even if they don’t use the information themselves, hackers can sell your data to other criminals who can then steal your identity or use it to extort funds from you.

Thirdly, most major countries have their own government-backed hacking groups that they use to target rival countries. Naturally, confidential information and disrupting services like healthcare hurt the most, which makes them prime targets. While individuals are rarely the targets of these types of hacks (unless you’re a high ranking official), they can certainly have a major impact on your life.

What the past couple of years have shown us is that your data is not safe in the hands of organizations. Unfortunately, when it comes to government and healthcare related services, you don’t have much of a choice when it comes to handing over your personal information. However, it has been a wake up call for many organizations, especially with laws like the GDPR and California Consumer Privacy Act that make a lack of security and a lack of response punishable by law.

The threats COVID-19 poses

During any tragic event, there are always people trying to capitalize off of it, and the Coronavirus is no exception. Cybercrime around the global pandemic has increased over the past few weeks, and in particular, phishing scams have used the virus as a theme.

What makes phishing scams work (some of the time) is that they create a sense of fear, urgency, or curiousity; feelings that are already elevated right now due to COVID-19. These are extremely powerful emotions that can cause you to make decisions you normally wouldn’t. If you receive an email that looks like it is from your government regarding the Coronavirus, your natural inclination is to do what the email says. Hackers are counting on you not taking a closer look, which is what makes phishing scams so effective. Using real human emotions to prey on innocent victims is called social engineering and can be incredibly powerful in the right (or wrong) hands.

In January and February 2020, Japan was hit by a massive phishing scam. An email appearing to be from a Japanese disability welfare service provider was sent out with an attachment supposed to contain important information about the Coronavirus. When the document was opened, malware was downloaded onto the victim’s computer. And this is only the beginning, there are certainly going to be more phishing scams in the future.

There has also been an uptick in website domains related to COVID-19, and the majority of these websites are 50% more likely to be malicious than other domains registered since January. All sorts of suspicious websites are claiming to sell testing kits, vaccines, and protective gear when in reality they are just capitalizing on fear.

Ransomware may be imminent

If you’re unfamiliar with ransomware, it’s a pretty basic idea. Hackers gain control of a computer or other device and hold it for a ransom. If the victim fails to pay within a given time frame, then the victim loses access forever. Since ransomware is a criminal activity, sometimes paying the ransom doesn’t restore access at all.

It’s a pretty effective technique because it preys on your fear of losing all of your files, photos, messages, etc., that are stored on your devices. When you apply this to a medical or government setting, ransomware could have devastating consequences, especially during a global pandemic. Criminals are viewing this time as an opportunity rather than a crisis.

A recent report by RiskIQ proposes that criminals are going to leverage the Coronavirus pandemic to launch ransomware attacks, particularly on healthcare organizations. Why? Because healthcare organizations are going to be more likely to pay and willing to pay more to have data released, especially when lives may be at risk. The effects could be devastating, especially if hackers target COVID-19 response and relief efforts.

There is a very real fear in the cybersecurity community that ransomware is imminent, and that the effects it will have in the fight against COVID-19 could be devastating. In fact, ransomware attacks could lead to the spread of the virus if governments and health services are delayed in finding and relaying important information to the general population. So far, there is no evidence that hospitals and government agencies are being specifically targeted, but if the trend of increasing ransomware attacks continue, things could get ugly.

How to stay safe

While there’s not a lot you can do to prevent a ransomware attack against a healthcare or government organization, there are some steps you can take to protect yourself against hackers. Here’s what we recommend:

Be suspicious - If you receive any email that claims to have important information, check to see who the sender is and what their email address is. Hackers will imitate actual organizations very closely, but something will be off. Don’t download any attachments without making sure it’s from a safe, legitimate source.
Be cautious of tempting offers- There is so much misinformation circulating right now regarding the Coronavirus. If something sounds too good to be true, especially regarding a cure or vaccine, it definitely is. Only follow the advice of your government and legitimate sources like the World Health Organization.
Install an anti-virus or security suite and keep it up-to-date - In case you don’t spot malware, it’s important that your computer does. Most email software is pretty good at catching phishing scams, but you may want something heftier just in case. Most importantly, make sure that your software is regularly updated as updates can include important security patches. To make things even simpler, turn on auto updates so you don’t even have to think about it.
Enable two-factor authentication - This is one of the easiest ways to see if someone is trying to gain access to your accounts and stop them in their tracks. While not all websites and apps offer two-factor authentication, most of the major ones do. It might feel like a hassle at the beginning but it does a great job of protecting your data.

These small steps could protect your data from being compromised. Given the uptick in ransomware attacks, hopefully government and healthcare organizations will update their security systems too. This is a trying time, in more ways than one.

Conclusion - Data security during the COVID-19 outbreak

The future feels very uncertain right now, in more ways than one. The effect that the Coronavirus is having on data security may seem like an unexpected one, but it is also incredibly important. Suspicious criminal activity is on the rise, and the elevated emotions surrounding COVID-19 could make them far more effective than normal. If ransomware is used on hospitals and government services, the effects could be truly devastating.

This is a difficult time for most of the population, however, for criminals it’s a time that could be very profitable. Crime never stops, even during a global pandemic. In meantime, we should remain hopeful that this chaotic time will soon be over, and that healthcare and government organizations are paying attention to the habits of cybercriminals.