DID vs sso: What are the differences?

Introduction

DID (Decentralized Identifier) and SSO (Single Sign-On) are two authentication mechanisms used to access digital resources, but they differ in several key aspects. This Markdown code explains the main differences between them in a specific and concise manner.

1. Ownership and Control: One significant difference between DID and SSO is the ownership and control of user identity. In SSO, the identity is usually owned and managed by a centralized identity provider (IdP), which can pose privacy and security risks. Whereas, with DID, individuals maintain full ownership and control over their digital identities, reducing reliance on third-party entities.

2. Decentralization: DID emphasizes decentralization, allowing individuals to create and manage their own identities without relying on a centralized authority. On the other hand, SSO primarily relies on a centralized identity provider to authenticate and authorize users across various services.

3. Interoperability: DID promotes interoperability by providing a standardized framework for creating and managing decentralized digital identities. Different DID methods can coexist and be seamlessly integrated into various platforms and protocols. SSO, however, relies on proprietary protocols and technologies, often limited to a specific ecosystem or service provider.

4. Security and Privacy: DID offers enhanced security and privacy compared to SSO. DID leverages cryptographic techniques like public-key encryption and digital signatures, ensuring data integrity and confidentiality. SSO, despite providing convenience, may expose users to security risks since a single credential compromise may grant unauthorized access to multiple services.

5. Trust and Trustlessness: In SSO, there is a level of trust placed on the centralized identity provider. Users must trust that the provider adequately protects their identity and credentials. Conversely, with DID, trust can be distributed as individuals have more direct control over their identities and interactions, reducing reliance on trust in third-party entities.

6. Use Case Flexibility: DID offers greater use case flexibility compared to SSO. While SSO primarily focuses on enabling seamless access to multiple applications within a specific ecosystem, DID can be utilized across various industries and scenarios, such as self-sovereign identity, secure data sharing, and decentralized authentication.

In summary, DID and SSO differ in ownership and control, decentralization, interoperability, security and privacy, trust, and use case flexibility. DID empowers individuals with full ownership and control over their digital identities, promotes decentralization, enhances security and privacy, and offers more flexibility in use cases. SSO relies on a centralized identity provider, operates within specific ecosystems, and involves trust in the provider.