Title
An evaluation of potential attack surfaces based on attack tree modelling and risk matrix applied to self-sovereign identity
Abstract
Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) empowers users to govern their digital identity and personal data. This approach has changed the identity paradigm where users become the central governor of their identity; hence the rapid growth of the SSI model. Utilizing the security and privacy properties of blockchain, together with other security technologies, SSI purports to provide a robust security and privacy service. However, this governing power for users comes with a greater accountability and security risk, as not all users are capable or trained in its use and therefore in its efficient application. This trade-off requires a systematic evaluation of potential attacks on the SSI system and their security risks. Hitherto, there have been no noteworthy research studies performed to evaluate potential attacks on the SSI system and their security risks. This paper proposes an easy, efficient and economical approach to perform an evaluation of potential attacks on the SSI system and their security risks. This approach utilises a combination of an attack tree model and risk matrix model to perform this evaluation of potential attacks and their security risks, in addition to outlining a systematic approach including describing the system architecture and determining its assets in order to perform this evaluation of potential attacks and their security risks. This evaluation work has identified three potential attacks on the SSI system: faking identity, identity theft and distributed denial of service attacks, and performed their security risk evaluation utilising the proposed approach. Finally, this paper has proposed several mitigation strategies for the three evaluated attacks on the SSI system. This proposed evaluation approach is a systematic and generalised approach for evaluating attacks and their security risks, and can be applied to any other IT system.
Year
DOI
Venue
2022
10.1016/j.cose.2022.102808
Computers & Security
Keywords
DocType
Volume
Attack tree model,Risk matrix model,Digital identity,Self-sovereign identity,SSI,Identity management system,Decentralized IDentifier,DID,Verifiable credential,Distributed ledger technology,Blockchain,Faking identity,Identity theft,Distributed denial of service,Lockheed Martin’s cyber kill chain,MITRE ATT&CK framework,Diamond model of intrusion analysis
Journal
120
ISSN
Citations 
PageRank 
0167-4048
0
0.34
References 
Authors
0
5
Name
Order
Citations
PageRank
Nitin Naik100.34
Paul Grace200.34
Paul Jenkins300.34
Kshirasagar Naik484673.83
Jingping Song500.34