did:erc725

type

DID Method

Specification

Contact Name

Markus Sabadello, Fabian Vogelsteller, Peter Kolarov

Info

Name, Specification URL, Contact name and some relations are sourced from diddirectory.com. If you maintain this or any other didmethod, we encourage you to visit diddirectory and submit or update your data there if its not up to date!

Description −

The did:erc725 method is a decentralized identifier system built on Ethereum that leverages the ERC725 standard for identity management. This method enables identities to be managed through smart contracts on the Ethereum blockchain, providing a flexible and programmable approach to digital identity.

The core innovation of this method is its integration with the ERC725 standard, which provides standardized key management functions through smart contracts. This allows for sophisticated identity management operations that can leverage the full capabilities of Ethereum's smart contract platform.

The method supports multiple Ethereum networks including mainnet, ropsten, rinkeby, and kovan. Each DID is tied to a specific ERC725-compliant smart contract deployed on one of these networks. The contract address, combined with the network identifier, forms the unique identifier for each DID.

Key features include:

Flexible key management through smart contract functions
Support for different key types (Management, Action, Claim, Encryption)
Blockchain-based security leveraging Ethereum's infrastructure
Programmable identity capabilities through smart contracts
Network-specific identification

Technical Implementation:

DID Generation and Structure:
- Format: did:erc725:[network:]address
- Examples:
  
  did:erc725:2F2B37C890824242Cb9B0FE5614fA2221B79901E
  did:erc725:mainnet:2F2B37C890824242Cb9B0FE5614fA2221B79901E
Resolution Process:
- Determines network identifier (defaults to mainnet)
- Calls getKeysByType for each supported key type
- Constructs DID Document with:
  - Secp256k1SignatureVerificationKey2018 entries
  - Authentication elements
  - Encryption elements
Key Management:
- Supports four key types:
  - MANAGEMENT
  - ACTION
  - CLAIM
  - ENCRYPTION
- Key operations through smart contract functions:
  - addKey(address _key, uint256 _type)
  - removeKey(address _key)
Security Model:
- Based on Ethereum's cryptographic infrastructure
- Uses Secp256k1 keys for signatures
- Revocation through smart contract selfdestruct()
Technology Stack:
- Ethereum blockchain
- ERC725 smart contracts
- Solidity programming language
- Ethereum Virtual Machine (EVM)
- JSON-LD for DID Documents