Mozilla unveils PACT — an anonymous credentials system for the web

Mozilla has announced PACT (Private Access Tokens/Credentials), a project aimed at creating anonymous credentials for the web. The article was published on the Mozilla Hacks blog.

The gist of the approach

PACT offers a mechanism by which websites and services can confirm certain attributes of a user — for example, the fact that a check has been passed or that an access right exists — without obtaining information that would make it possible to identify a specific person.

This approach relies on cryptographic anonymous credentials — a technology that lets you prove you hold a particular right or status without disclosing any additional information about its holder.

Why it's needed

Today's web is largely built on models in which, to verify a user, sites are forced to collect and store personal data, which creates privacy risks and expands the surface for leaks. Anonymous credentials offer an alternative: services receive only the minimally necessary confirmation rather than a full user profile.

Mozilla's position

Mozilla has long positioned itself as an advocate for privacy on the web, and PACT continues that line by offering tooling that developers will be able to build into their own services. The project is presented as an open initiative, available to the community for study and discussion.

The details of the implementation, the areas of application, and the plans for standardization are not spelled out in the Mozilla Hacks article — the publication is an announcement in nature.

Source: Lobsters