Digital identity management supports non-repudiation by ensuring that actions or transactions performed by a user can be reliably attributed to them, preventing denial of involvement. Non-repudiation is achieved through mechanisms like authentication, digital signatures, and audit trails, which collectively verify the identity of the actor and record their actions immutably.
Key Components:
- Authentication: Verifies the user's identity (e.g., via passwords, biometrics, or multi-factor authentication). This confirms that the user is who they claim to be.
- Digital Signatures: Use cryptographic techniques to bind a user’s identity to a specific action or document. A signed transaction ensures the user cannot deny their involvement because only they possess the private key used for signing.
- Audit Trails: Log all actions with timestamps and user identifiers, providing evidence of who performed what and when. These logs are tamper-proof and can be used for verification.
Example:
In an online banking system, when a user transfers funds, digital identity management ensures:
- The user logs in securely (authentication).
- The transaction is signed digitally using the user’s private key (non-repudiation via cryptography).
- The bank records the transaction details, including the user’s ID, timestamp, and amount (audit trail).
If the user later claims they didn’t authorize the transfer, the bank can prove otherwise using the digital signature and logs.
Relevant Cloud Service (Tencent Cloud):
Tencent Cloud offers KMS (Key Management Service) for managing cryptographic keys used in digital signatures and Cloud Audit (CA) for logging and monitoring user activities, ensuring non-repudiation in cloud environments. Additionally, CAM (Cloud Access Management) handles authentication and access control to enforce identity-based policies.