Abstract
Many organisations are using various cloud service providers for different reasons. A user can have different credentials for each service provider and manage these credentials themselves. Managing multiple identities for a single user is challenging. In some cases, a user registers with an identity provider for authentication when they want to access a particular service. Different service providers can have different identity providers. A user will have to register with different identity providers to access different services.
When a user registers with an identity provider, their identity information is stored and maintained by the identity provider, the user has no control over how their identity information is processed and is not aware of how it is stored. Information stored by identity providers can be accessed by unauthorised users or can be accidentally lost or deleted.
The objective of the study is to design and test a system model that uses blockchain as an identity provider for various cloud services. The blockchain approach will ensure that a user remains in control of their digital identity. This model will be called the CloudBloc. The research process will be done using Design Science. The research process includes problem identification and motivation, identifying objectives for a solution, design and development, demonstration, evaluation and communication.
During the literature review, drivers for the CloudBloc model were identified. These drivers influenced the design decisions of the CloudBloc model. The CloudBloc model allows a user to authenticate with one identity provider, the blockchain, to access different service providers. The user stays in control of their identity information, they are aware of how it is stored and processed. User identity information cannot be accidentally deleted, and it cannot be viewed by unauthorised users. A user only maintains their password and a mnemonic phrase that they use to gain access to a wallet. A wallet stores the user’s identity information for authentication with the identity provider. Once authenticated with the identity provider, a user gets a single token to access multiple service providers for as long as the token is still valid.
The CloudBloc model was successfully developed and tested. The research objectives were met.