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To break the ice, I'll post the same topic I suggested on the Architecture SIG call: in my experience, the most foundational component of a digital wallet architecture is the key management system (KMS). Pretty much everything else depends on it. So the proposed high-priority topic is: does the OWF engine need to have a standard KMS module — or at least a standard KMS interface — for all the key management operations that other components will need to call? And if so, can we agree on a common set of requirements for this KMS? |
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I assume the basics of KMS, secure storage, access management, etc. are taken care of. The architectural need that I see missing most relates to sharing of information that is managed and stored. For clarity, I mean at the OS-level. Currently, there is very minimal inter-app sharing on a device. This forces many applications to implement their own wallets. This means that while the wallets may be open, even OWF-based, they can't talk to each other and now you have both terrible UX AND propagation of mistakes in implementations. There are solutions to the cross-app sharing but they are clunky and not likely to be consistent. I fear that the OS providers (Apple, Google/Android, etc.) may resist this idea, but I think there are real business benefits to creating a common layer that handles the key management, secure storage, and access. Without the buy-in from the OS providers, we're somewhat hamstrung. |
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I agree with TallTree and Enoc re: the importance of KMS and the necessary separation of its implementation from enclave/TEE, and a Trusted space within which it runs. Separate from that the mechanism for securely exchanging wallet contents with others seems a core feature, yet one that hasn't reached consensus on wrt implementation methods. Currently in the W3C_VCDM world the use of Verifiable Presentations is the most common approach, but that is currently limited to payloads that are credentials. There is an issue in the current VCDM v2.0 wg to expand what payload types might be enclosed in a VP and still be compliant with that ecosystem. In short a second critical topic is the approach by which wallet contents are exchanged with third-parties. This may be something considered out of scope for the wallet architecture itself, but is remains of central importance to address. |
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Authentication to the wallet is up there. Ensuring that only the authorized holder of the credentials and keys maintained by the wallet can access or share them should not be discounted. Relying on native, edge authentication mechanisms may be suitable for some use cases but not all. |
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In the 2023-04-03 Architecture SIG call, we brainstormed a set of digital wallet engine architecture topics. What do you think is the MOST important wallet engine architecture topic (or small set of inter-related topics — no more than 3) that the Architecture SIG should be tackling first? Please feel free to include an item that is not in the brainstorm document.
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