e-Voting overview

# **Integrating Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) and ElGamal Signing Scheme for Privacy-Preserving E-Voting** ## **Introduction to Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI)** Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) is a revolutionary digital identity model that empowers individuals with full control over their personal data and credentials. Unlike traditional identity systems, which rely on centralized authorities, SSI uses decentralized technologies such as Distributed Ledger Technology (DLT) or blockchain to ensure tamper-proof, secure, and transparent identity management. This approach enables users to store their credentials in secure digital wallets and selectively share them with trusted parties without exposing unnecessary personal information. SSI is built on three core components: Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs), Verifiable Credentials (VCs), and a verifiable data registry, making it a robust framework for secure and privacy-preserving digital interactions[1][2][4]. ## **The Role of Decentralized Ledger Technology in SSI** Decentralized Ledger Technology (DLT), such as blockchain, underpins the security and functionality of SSI systems. DLT ensures that identity data is immutable, transparent, and verifiable while maintaining decentralization. This eliminates the need for intermediaries, reduces the risk of data breaches, and enhances user trust. Blockchain-based SSI solutions also facilitate interoperability across platforms by providing a universal framework for verifying credentials. Additionally, privacy-preserving techniques like Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) enable users to prove specific attributes—such as age or citizenship—without revealing sensitive information[1][4][7]. ## **SSI as the Ideal Public Key Infrastructure for E-Voting** Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) is essential for secure digital transactions, including e-voting. SSI's decentralized architecture makes it an ideal PKI for implementing cryptographic schemes like the ElGamal signature scheme. By leveraging DLT and DIDs, SSI provides a secure foundation for managing public keys without relying on centralized certificate authorities. This ensures that voters' identities are authenticated while preserving their privacy. ## **ElGamal Signature Scheme in E-Voting** The ElGamal signature scheme is a cryptographic protocol based on modular exponentiation and the discrete logarithm problem. It provides three critical properties for e-voting systems: - **Authentication:** Ensures that only eligible voters can cast ballots. - **Integrity:** Guarantees that votes cannot be altered once cast. - **Non-repudiation:** Prevents voters from denying their participation. By integrating the ElGamal signing scheme with SSI, e-voting systems can achieve both privacy and auditability. For instance, anonymous credentials issued through SSI can be used to verify voter eligibility without revealing their identity. Voters can sign their ballots using the ElGamal scheme, ensuring that each vote is securely authenticated and verifiable[3][6]. ## **Privacy-Preserving and Auditable Voting with SSI and ElGamal** Combining SSI with the ElGamal signature scheme addresses two major challenges in e-voting: voter anonymity and election transparency. Here’s how this integration works: 1. **Anonymous Credentials via SSI:** - Voters receive verifiable credentials from trusted issuers (e.g., government agencies) through their digital wallets. - These credentials use Zero-Knowledge Proofs to confirm voter eligibility without disclosing personal information. 2. **Secure Ballot Signing with ElGamal:** - Voters sign their ballots using the ElGamal scheme, ensuring authenticity and integrity. - The signed ballots are submitted to a decentralized ledger for tamper-proof storage. 3. **Auditability through Blockchain:** - The blockchain serves as a transparent record of all votes cast, enabling independent verification of election results. - The use of cryptographic proofs ensures that votes remain anonymous while allowing auditors to verify their validity. 4. **End-to-End Verifiability:** - Voters can confirm that their votes were cast as intended and counted correctly without compromising privacy. ## **Case Study: Enhancing Estonia's E-Voting System** Estonia has been a pioneer in internet voting, leveraging advanced cryptographic techniques to ensure security and privacy. By integrating SSI-based anonymous credentials with the ElGamal signing scheme, Estonia's system could further enhance voter trust and compliance with data protection regulations. For example, an SSI-enabled e-voting system could use decentralized identifiers to authenticate voters while maintaining anonymity through Zero-Knowledge Proofs[4][7]. ## **Conclusion** Self-Sovereign Identity secured by Decentralized Ledger Technology represents a transformative innovation in digital identity management. Its decentralized architecture makes it an ideal Public Key Infrastructure for implementing privacy-preserving cryptographic protocols like the ElGamal signature scheme in e-voting systems. By combining these technologies, governments can create secure, auditable, and privacy-respecting electoral processes that enhance voter trust and participation while safeguarding democratic integrity[1][3][4]. Citations: [1] https://www.truvity.com/ssi-guide/what-is-self-sovereign-identity [2] https://www.bsi.bund.de/SharedDocs/Downloads/EN/BSI/Crypto/guideline_self-sovereign_identities.pdf?__blob=publicationFile&v=2 [3] https://github.com/amritesh-dasari/ElGamal-signature-scheme [4] https://dlt-science.github.io/science-notes/SSI/ssi.html [5] https://www.okta.com/uk/identity-101/self-sovereign-identity/ [6] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ElGamal_signature_scheme [7] https://www.dltscience.org/news/self-sovereign-identity-and-digital-identity-system