Skip to content

Appendix A – Terminology

  • Attribute — A single piece of information about the Holder contained within a credential (e.g., age, nationality, qualification).
  • Authentication Factors — Categories of elements used to verify identity: possession (something you have), knowledge (something you know), and inherence (something you are).
  • Assurance Levels — The degree of confidence that can be placed in the identity proofing, authentication, or transaction process.
  • Credential Issuer — An entity authorized to issue credentials (e.g., government, university, bank).
  • Digital Credential — A digitally signed statement about a Holder, issued by a trusted entity (such as a diploma, license, or ID card).
  • Digital Identity Wallet (Wallet) — A secure, user-controlled environment used to store, manage, and present digital identity data and credentials.
  • Digital Signature / Seal — A cryptographic mechanism ensuring integrity, authenticity, and non-repudiation of digital data or transactions.
  • Identity Holder (Holder, User, Subject) — The individual or organization that possesses and controls a digital wallet and its credentials.
  • Identity Provider (IdP) — An entity responsible for issuing and managing digital identities and associated credentials.
  • Relying Party (RP) — The entity that requests and uses verified credentials to provide a service or transaction.
  • Verifier — The entity that performs the technical validation of credentials, which may be the RP itself or a separate entity acting on its behalf.
  • Intermediary — An optional actor that facilitates interactions between Holders, Verifiers, and RPs, for example by routing requests or enforcing cross-domain trust policies.
  • Interoperability — The ability of identity systems and wallets to function across jurisdictions, technologies, and organizational boundaries.
  • Pseudonym — A derived identifier that allows a Holder to interact with a Relying Party without revealing their actual identity.
  • Selective Disclosure — A privacy-preserving mechanism allowing the Holder to reveal only specific attributes from a credential.
  • Trust Framework — A set of policies, standards, and agreements governing how entities in the ecosystem interoperate securely.
  • Certification — A formal process by which wallets, issuers, or Relying Parties are validated against compliance requirements.
  • Risk Management — The identification, assessment, and mitigation of risks related to digital identity systems.
  • Verifiable Credential (VC) — A tamper-evident digital credential based on open standards and cryptographically verifiable.