We're preparing to make our favourite self-sovereign identity framework ready for global use! Recently, the EU has been taking big steps towards the regulation and governance of digital identity solutions. This has been causing big waves globally in terms of what standards are gaining recognition. The Architecture Reference Framework (ARF) describes the current understanding of how Digital Identity will function in Europe.
In previous years, Animo has worked on making Aries Framework JavaScript the easiest and most accessible SSI framework for developers to create quality solutions. It has been used mainly for its modularity, and its suitability for wallet development. Now, we're taking the next step by making AFJ, ARF compliant.
For organisations operating in the EU, and those who plan to do business there, it means that this mature and proven framework will be able to work for global use cases.
Animo is leading the effort on making it easy to build EU suitable applications with Aries Framework JavaScript. We are now looking for partners and sponsors to help us achieve this goal.
There are 5 initiatives that can be funded separately or as a collective. These initiatives result in separate open-source end products, to make sure you can fund only the segments you are interested in.
Initiatives
- Mobile Drivers License (ISO/IEC 18013-5) Module In the ARF, it is described that the mDoc standard is used for proximity verification. We would like to enable the users of AFJ to easily implement mDoc proximity flows. This initiative would allow all users to support this by simply adding a proximity module that uses the generic mDL library described in the previous section.
- Adding support for OpenID4VC to AFJ
Aries Framework JavaScript currently allows you to receive credential offers using OpenID for Verifiable Credential Issuance. This initiative would allow Aries Framework JavaScript users to issue, present and verify credentials using the OpenID4VC stack as well. - Hardware Security Module (HSM) support for Askar
Aries Framework JavaScript currently uses Aries Askar for its cryptographic operations. Interaction with a Hardware Security Module is not yet supported by Aries Askar, but is a strong requirement by the Architecture Reference Framework. By adding support for Hardware Security Module interactions for Aries Askar, for signing and encryption, we automatically make AFJ wallets compliant. - Adding support for SD-JWT to AFJ
SD-JWT is a new credential format that enables selective disclosure on a simple JWT credential. The Architecture Reference Framework defines support for SD-JWT as a hard requirement. Users of Aries Framework JavaScript can issue, receive, proof and verify SD-JWT with this initiative.
Previously, we've set up a similar effort to make AnonCreds ledger independent. Thanks to 8 sponsors and 3 collaborators, the results of this work can now be used by any developer, organisation or government.
Whether you are interested in the overall goal, or in any of the separate initiatives, reach out! Your organisations' money will only support the effort you are interested in. Reach out directly to our CEO Ana through ana@animo.id to get involved. Check out the current overview of the ARF status of AFJ.