W3C publishes draft authentication standards for Linked Web Storage
New draft specifications outline how applications can securely authenticate users within the Linked Web Storage ecosystem using multiple identity frameworks.
The World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) has published four First Public Working Drafts defining authentication methods for the Linked Web Storage (LWS) protocol.
The drafts were developed by the Linked Web Storage Working Group and focus on how applications can verify user identity when accessing or managing data stored across distributed web systems.
Linked Web Storage is an emerging approach that allows users to store and control their data across different services, rather than relying on a single platform. Authentication is a key component, as it determines how users securely access their data.
The published drafts outline several authentication approaches. These include integration with widely used identity systems such as OpenID Connect and SAML 2.0, as well as models based on self-signed identities. In the latter case, users can authenticate themselves directly using cryptographic keys, without relying on a central identity provider.
One of the drafts also introduces authentication using decentralised identifiers, specifically the “did:key” method, which allows identities to be verified through cryptographic mechanisms.
As First Public Working Drafts, these documents represent an early stage in the standardisation process. Stakeholders are invited to review and provide feedback before further development and potential adoption.
