Introduction
In an increasingly digital world, businesses are constantly searching for innovative ways to secure and streamline operations, especially when it comes to managing employee credentials and access control. Traditional methods, such as physical badges and ID cards, are quickly becoming outdated, as they struggle to meet the growing needs for security, efficiency, and compliance.
Digital wallets offer a powerful alternative, allowing organizations to securely manage employee credentials in both physical and digital environments. Solutions like Identry, that we developed in collaboration with Mammoet, take this concept to the next level by integrating advanced technologies to manage worker identities, certifications, and access control seamlessly.
In this blog, we’ll explore the challenges posed by traditional systems, the advantages of digital wallets in identity management, and how Identry is leading the way in transforming access management in industries like construction.
The problem: limitations of traditional badge systems
Traditional identity and access management systems, such as physical badges or RFID cards, have been the backbone of corporate security for decades. However, these systems have several critical drawbacks:
- Security vulnerabilities: Physical badges and RFID cards are prone to loss, theft, and duplication. Once a badge is lost or stolen, unauthorized access becomes a real threat, especially in environments where sensitive areas or valuable equipment must be protected.
- Administrative complexity: Managing thousands of physical badges, especially in industries with high turnover or large job sites, can be time-consuming and inefficient. Issuing, replacing, or revoking badges creates administrative bottlenecks that can delay operations and increase costs.
- Certification management: In industries like construction, healthcare, or manufacturing, employees need specific certifications to access certain areas or operate machinery. Physical badge systems lack the ability to dynamically verify whether an employee’s certification is valid or up to date.
- Lack of integration: Many organizations operate separate systems for physical and digital access. This fragmented approach leads to inefficiencies and weakens overall security, as employee credentials must be managed across multiple platforms.
The solution: digital wallets for Identity and Access Management
Digital wallets offer a modern, secure solution to the challenges of traditional identity management systems. With digital wallets, employees can store their credentials on a secure, digital platform, accessible from smartphones, computers, or other connected devices. This system allows for quick, secure access to both physical locations and digital platforms.
How Digital Wallets Solve Identity and Access Management Issues
- Increased security: Digital wallets leverage encryption and multi-factor authentication (MFA), such as biometrics or secure passcodes, to protect credentials. This drastically reduces the risk of unauthorized access, as credentials cannot be easily stolen or duplicated.
- Streamlined convenience: Employees can store multiple credentials—such as ID verification, certifications, and access rights—in one secure place, reducing the need to carry around physical badges. Digital wallets are easy to update in real time, ensuring that credentials are always up to date.
- Real-time certification updates: A major advantage of digital wallets is the ability to manage certification status in real time. When an employee’s certification expires or is renewed, their digital wallet can instantly update their access permissions to ensure compliance and safety.
- Seamless integration: Digital wallets can unify both physical and digital identity management by integrating with existing access control systems. Whether scanning a QR code to enter a building or logging into secure digital platforms, digital wallets simplify the management of identity across all environments.
Decentralized digital wallets and self-sovereign identity
A key innovation within digital wallets is the development of decentralized identity solutions, enabling self-sovereign identity (SSI) and technologies like zero-knowledge proof (ZKP). These advanced tools enhance both security and privacy in identity management:
- Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI): SSI empowers individuals to fully control their own digital identities, removing the need for a central authority to store and manage credentials. Users can decide which data to share and with whom, ensuring privacy and reducing the risks of central data breaches.
- Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP): ZKP allows users to prove their identity or a credential without revealing unnecessary personal information. For example, a worker can confirm they have the correct certification for a task without exposing their full employment history. This protects user privacy while ensuring compliance.
The benefits of digital wallets and decentralized identity solutions
Adopting digital wallets for identity and access management offers a range of benefits that address the limitations of traditional systems:
- Improved security: Digital wallets, especially those leveraging decentralized platforms, provide enhanced security through encryption, biometric authentication, and multi-factor authentication. This ensures that access credentials cannot be easily compromised.
- Increased efficiency: By consolidating multiple credentials into a single digital wallet, employees can quickly and easily access secure areas, reducing delays caused by lost badges or out-of-date certifications. The ability to update credentials in real time ensures that operations continue smoothly.
- Compliance and certification Management: For industries that require strict compliance with certification standards, digital wallets ensure that only qualified personnel can access specific areas or operate equipment. With real-time updates, certifications can be verified instantly, eliminating the risk of non-compliance.
- Reduced costs: Digital wallets eliminate the need for physical badges and the administrative burden of managing them. This reduces both the material costs of issuing badges and the labor costs associated with updating or revoking credentials.
- Privacy and control: Decentralized digital wallets allow employees to take control of their own personal data, sharing only the necessary credentials with employers. Self-sovereign identity models ensure that data remains secure and under the user’s control, minimizing the risk of data breaches.
Our solution: Identry
Identry is a customizable digital identity management platform that provides businesses with a secure, scalable way to manage employee credentials. Designed to integrate seamlessly with existing access systems, Identry offers a personalized experience tailored to each organization’s operational needs.
How Identry Works
- Digital Issuance: Certificates and credentials are issued directly to an employee’s digital wallet, enabling instant verification. This ensures that only authorized personnel can access specific areas or equipment.
- Zero-Knowledge Proof: With ZKP, Identry allows employees to share only the necessary portions of their credentials for verification, protecting their privacy while ensuring compliance.
- Quick Verification: Employees can scan their QR codes for instant access and credential verification, streamlining entry processes and ensuring that all certifications are current.
Issuers, Holders, and Verifiers
- Issuers: Employers or certifying bodies can issue credentials to digital wallets and update or revoke them as needed. This enables real-time management of employee qualifications and access permissions.
- Holders: Employees have a centralized, secure digital wallet for storing all their certificates and credentials. This ensures easy access, reduces the risk of fraud, and enhances user convenience.
- Verifiers: Verification processes are automated and instantaneous, reducing verification time from minutes to seconds and ensuring error-free access to secure areas.
Collaboration with Mammoet
The construction industry, in particular, faces significant challenges when managing worker identities and certifications. Recognizing these challenges, Mammoet, a global leader in heavy lifting and construction, partnered with Ledger Leopard to develop Identry. This collaboration is designed to tackle the inefficiencies and risks associated with paper-based certification management.
Before implementing Identry, Mammoet’s managers spent up to 30% of their time managing worker documentation and certifications. By digitizing these processes through Identry, Mammoet has been able to streamline identity and access management, reduce administrative overhead, and improve overall compliance.
This partnership not only brings credibility to Identry but also ensures a seamless rollout across Mammoet’s extensive network of partners, clients, and suppliers. Together, Mammoet and Ledger Leopard are shaping the future of digital identity management in the construction sector.
Conclusion
Digital wallets are revolutionizing the way businesses manage employee identities, certifications, and access control. By leveraging encryption, real-time updates, and advanced technologies like decentralized identity and zero-knowledge proof, digital wallets offer a more secure, efficient, and privacy-friendly approach to identity management.
With Identry, industries like construction can now embrace a fully customizable, digital solution that streamlines identity verification and compliance while reducing costs and administrative burdens.
As businesses continue to evolve in an increasingly digital landscape, adopting solutions like Identry is essential for ensuring secure and efficient identity and access management. If you’re ready to modernize your identity management systems, Identry is the solution you’ve been waiting for.
