Identity Management, Authentication, and Authorisation in Solid

Lead: Ross Horne and Christian Esposito

Access to data within a data pod by Solid apps is standardized by the Solid protocol, which defines authentication mechanisms, access control policies, and a RESTful API. Currently, identities are expressed using WebID, and authentication and authorization protocols are defined by the OpenID Connect standard, which defines how a client and pod interact with the trusted third-party IdM. The aim of this session is to present the concepts and protocols underlying these standards, to point out pros and cons, and to highlight possible future evolutions leveraging on blockchain, verifiable credentials and other enabling technologies.