Interoperability - The key to a thriving Digital Identity Ecosystem

In today's digital age, the question of identity is fundamental. With increasing digitization, proving our identity is no longer limited to physical IDs and documents, but also requires digital proofs. A functioning digital identity ecosystem is therefore essential. But what does it mean for this ecosystem to be interoperable, and why is interoperability so important?

Interoperability vs. incompatibility: Practical implications

Interoperability enables disparate systems to communicate and exchange data without interruption. In the context of digital identities, this means that identity credentials can be seamlessly exchanged between different applications, services, and platforms. In an interoperable digital identity ecosystem, users can use their identity wherever they need to without having to re-register or re-authenticate.

On the other hand, if the digital identity ecosystem is incompatible, it leads to fragmentation and makes it difficult for users to manage their identities. They may have to register and authenticate individually for each application or platform, which is not only time-consuming, but also poses security risks as users may resort to insecure practices such as using easy-to-remember passwords or reusing passwords across multiple sites.

The role of Open Source Infrastructures

A key foundation for an interoperable digital identity ecosystem is open source infrastructure. Open source software and standards are characterized by openness and accessibility. Anyone can view, modify and improve the source code, resulting in a transparent and collaborative development process. Open and collaboratively developed protocols ensure data exchange between different systems and ecosystems. By using open source components, developers and organizations can create interoperable digital identity solutions that are supported by a broad community.

An outstanding example of an organization promoting open source components and standards for digital identities is the OpenWallet Foundation. This non-profit organization is actively working to create and promote open standards and protocols to improve interoperability in the digital identity space. The OpenWallet Foundation works with various partners to jointly develop open source solutions that enable users to securely and seamlessly manage their identity across applications and platforms.

esatus advocates for interoperability

As a leading provider of digital identity solutions and a founding member of the OpenWallet Foundation, esatus actively promotes open source components and standards to improve interoperability in the field of digital identities. Our CIO, Dr. Andre Kudra, emphasizes the importance of interoperability: "We strongly believe that interoperability in digital identities is crucial to provide users with a seamless and secure experience. Open source is a key enabler, allowing us to work with the community on open standards and protocols that benefit everyone.

We are already on this path with our digital identity management suite, SOWL, with a clear focus on interoperability. We use open source components to digitize identification processes so that they can be seamlessly integrated into the existing system landscape.

Overall, interoperability in digital identities is essential to provide users with a seamless and secure experience. The use of open source components and standards is critical to creating an interoperable digital identity ecosystem that delivers real value to citizens, governments and businesses.