Clear DefinitionsPrivate DID
1 min read
Pronunciation
[pry-vit dee-eye-dee]
Analogy
Like a private phone number listed only in a personal address book rather than a public directory.
Definition
A Decentralized Identifier whose document and metadata are stored encrypted or off‑ledger, accessible only to authorized parties, enhancing privacy over public DIDs.
Key Points Intro
Private DIDs give users control over who can resolve and see their identity information.
Key Points
Encrypted document: DID Doc stored ciphertext on-chain or off-chain.
Access grants: Authorization via verifiable credentials or capability tokens.
Selective disclosure: Only reveal necessary attributes.
Audit logs: Controlled parties recorded when accessing DID Doc.
Example
A healthcare app uses a private DID to store patient records encrypted in IPFS; only authorized providers can decrypt.
Technical Deep Dive
DID method uses JWE to encrypt DID Doc under recipient’s public key, stores `ciphertext` in a contract. Resolver authenticates via UCAN, fetches and decrypts.
Security Warning
Key leakage can expose private identity; use HSM and rotate keys.
Caveat
Private DIDs sacrifice global discoverability; require off-chain discovery services.
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