Decentralized Authentication for Enhanced Security: Leveraging Blockchain Technology to Prevent Credential Theft

Abstract

Online services currently rely heavily on centralized authentication methods to manage user identification and authentication. However, these methods are vulnerable to account hacking, which can compromise user data and lead to attacks. A potential solution to this issue is the use of distributed ledger technology, such as blockchain, to decentralize credential ownership and provide a secure, immutable platform for verifying user identity. This paper aims to analyze the drawbacks of centralized authentication systems and propose an alternative that uses blockchain technology for authentication, ensuring robustness, transparency, and security. The proposed system is tested on web applications using the Ethereum testnet and an authentication provider (backend server).