Verifiable Credential (VC)

Welcome to the technical specification on Verifiable Credential (VC), which aims to provide clear guidance on its core concepts, related attacks, countermeasures, and considerations for designing these specific structures. As we delve into VC, we'll touch upon some aspects of Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs). So, we recommend you have a basic grasp of the zk DID that we currently utilize before proceeding.

Core Concept

Verifiable Credentials (VCs) are a part of the W3C (World Wide Web Consortium) standards, aiming to create a standardized, secure, and privacy-respecting way to express and verify digital credentials.

At the heart of the VC architecture are three key components:

1. Issuer (Attester): This is the entity that creates and provides the verifiable credential. They attest to the truth of the information in the credential.
2. Holder (User/claimer): This is the entity that holds the verifiable credential. It could be the subject of the credential (like a person) or a third party designated by the subject (like a digital wallet).
3. Verifier: This is the entity that needs to check the validity of the credential. They verify the authenticity of the credential and the authority of the attester.

Here's how the process works: The attester creates a credential, signs it using a cryptographic key, and then issues it to the holder. When needed, the holder presents the credential to a verifier. The verifier checks the signature on the credential against the attester's public key in the verifiable data registry, ensuring the credential's validity.

This system enables secure and reliable verification of digital credentials, supporting various applications such as identity verification and qualification checks.

Understanding the Differences: VCs vs. NFTs on the Blockchain

VC Components

An Example of VC Generation

VP Use Scenarios