SK Telecom and Samsung Electronics are strengthening the security of smartphone digital certificates using blockchain technology.
On August 24, SK Telecom announced that it has improved safety and convenience by linking Samsung Electronics’ “Samsung Blockchain Key Store (security area embedded in Samsung Electronics terminals)” and “Initial”, a blockchain-based mobile electronic authentication service.
This linkage was promoted to more securely provide an app-based DID (Distributed Identifier) service that stores personal electronic signature information on the user’s terminal. Through this linkage, both companies have stored private keys and certificates essential for user authentication of blockchain-based digital signature services in the Samsung Blockchain Key Store.
Samsung Blockchain Key Store’s hardware-based Trusted Execution Environment (TEE: Security area in which external access of the phone CPU area is impossible) and Trusted User Interface (TUI: A security screen that is separately driven by the security OS when the user proceeds with an electronic signature using a private) interlock with ‘Initial’ to prevent terminal hacking attacks by malicious software or unauthorized applications as well as device theft. it also keeps personal information safe even in the case of loss.
Currently, ‘Initial’ is the only commercial DID service applied with hardware-based terminal security technology in the world. Initial is a mobile electronic verification service that can verify forgery, alteration and authenticity by receiving and storing various certificates directly to the user’s terminal in one-stop using blockchain and DID technology, and submitting them to the receiving institution if necessary.
Through this collaboration, SK Telecom and Samsung Electronics plan to continue to introduce various electronic verification services based on high security technology in the future. The ‘Initial DID Alliance’ is in discussions with related industries to apply the ‘Samsung Blockchain Key Store’ to the field of financial services and digital identification cards such as student ID and employee ID.
‘Initial DID Alliance’ is a consortium-type blockchain network established in October last year, and 14 companies including SK Telecom and Samsung Electronics are participating in various services based on DID. It plans to commercialize 30 kinds of electronic certificate issuance services in the fields of finance, medical, public, and education within this year, as well as services for verifying original certificates of major domestic financial institutions and large corporations. Through this, it plans to lead the digital certification market by improving the complicated procedure of issuing and submitting paper certificates and reducing costs, replacing existing paper certificates and public certificates.
Yun Woong Ah, head of the Blockchain Development Group of Samsung Electronics’ Wireless Business Division, said, “We plan to provide a service that can provide more peace of mind to Galaxy users who use Initial through the strong security of Samsung Electronics’ blockchain Key Store, a security area built into the terminal.”
번역: 김동우 기자
