Decentralized Identity at Scale: A Performance Benchmark Study of Blockchain-Based Authentication Frameworks

Abstract

Blockchain's secure, tamper-resistant, self-sovereign identification frameworks have revolutionized identification and Access Management (IAM). Scalability and performance are crucial for blockchain-based Identity and Access Management systems. BC-IAM examines the blockchain trilemma—decentralization, security, and scalability. Our subjects encompass consensus, data storage, transaction velocity, and latency. BC-IAM analyzes the limitations of Proof of Work. The computational burden of PoW limits transaction throughput, rendering it inadequate for extensive identity management. The security and scalability of BC-IAM are evaluated through variations of Byzantine Fault Tolerance (BFT) and efficient delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPoS) protocols.
Research indicates that existing blockchain designs are incapable of handling the extensive transactions associated with BC-IAM. We analyze the impact of transaction throughput—the quantity of transactions a network can execute per second—on user experience. The study concluded that sharding alleviates network congestion and enhances BC-IAM transaction processing.
The analysis indicates increasing requests for identity data blockchain storage. We examine the storage of non-essential identifying attributes off-chain, while vital data resides on the blockchain. This study examines the secure on-chain and off-chain communication inside the BC-IAM environment.
BC-IAM users may experience latency in the blockchain network. BC-IAM systems can reduce identity verification latency through the utilization of efficient data structures and cryptographic techniques.
BC-IAM requires reliable identity revocation. Centralized revocation may be ineffective on blockchain. The paper advocates for the implementation of update-only revocation lists and identity attribute expiration algorithms to enhance the security of the primary blockchain ledger. This study assesses current solutions and advocates for additional research to enhance high-performance, scalable BC-IAM systems for decentralized, self-managed identity.