Cybersecurity Risks in Achieving UN SDG 16.9 with Blockchain Technology

The United Nations (UN) Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 16.9 aims to provide legal identity for all, including birth registration, by 2030. This ambitious target underscores the critical importance of identity in accessing a wide array of services and rights, from voting to healthcare. As we harness technology to realize this goal, blockchain emerges as a promising solution (1) for its ability to offer secure, decentralized, and tamper-proof ledgers. However, the integration of personally identifiable information (PII), personal health information (PHI), and other significant life events into a blockchain ledger brings to the forefront significant cyber risks that must be addressed.

Blockchain technology offers a revolutionary approach to managing digital identities, ensuring that every individual on the planet has a unique, unfalsifiable, and secure identity. By leveraging blockchain, we can create a system where all forms of PII and PHI are securely encrypted and stored, making them accessible only to authorized individuals and entities. This could dramatically reduce identity theft, fraud, and unauthorized access to personal information.

Using blockchain to manage sensitive data introduces complex cybersecurity challenges. While blockchain itself is highly secure due to its decentralized nature and cryptographic hash functions, the endpoints interacting with the blockchain, such as user devices and applications, remain vulnerable to hacking, phishing, and other forms of cyber-attacks. This vulnerability could lead to unauthorized access to the blockchain ledger, risking the exposure of sensitive personal information.

Second and maybe more importantly, blockchain data is permanent. It therefore presents a double-edged sword. Using blockchain to record EVERY event in your life ensures that once an event is recorded, it cannot be altered or deleted. This means it is an immutable history of an individual’s life events. This immutability raises concerns regarding the right to be forgotten. One may accurately suspect every individual has made choices they’d rather forget. This is not feasible with a blockchain-based digital ID. In Europe, the right to be forgotten is enshrined in data protection regulations like the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Modifying or deleting personal data from a blockchain, once entered, is inherently difficult, if not impossible. This poses significant privacy concerns.

The concentration of vast amounts of PII and PHI in a single ledger, even if decentralized, creates a highly attractive target for cybercriminals. A breach could have far-reaching implications, potentially exposing the intimate details of individuals’ lives. While blockchain technology can significantly contribute to achieving SDG 16.9, ensuring the cybersecurity of such a system is paramount. And not to get overly controversial, errant governments could use the information in your personal life ledger to restrict access to important assets like your bank, or your job. This is already happening in China.

To mitigate these risks, a multifaceted approach is necessary. First, enhancing the security of endpoints through regular updates, robust encryption, and user education on cybersecurity practices is crucial. Second, implementing dynamic consent mechanisms where individuals have control over who accesses their information and for what purpose can help address privacy concerns. Additionally, exploring technological solutions, such as zero-knowledge proofs, can allow for the verification of information without revealing the information itself, further safeguarding privacy.

International cooperation and the development of global standards for blockchain security in the context of digital identities are essential. This would ensure a unified approach to tackling cyber risks, fostering trust in blockchain-based identity systems.

While blockchain presents a promising though possibly troubling pathway towards achieving UN SDG 16.9, it is imperative to navigate the associated cyber risks with a strategic, multifaceted approach. In this way, we can cautiously use blockchain technology to provide secure and immutable digital identities for all (if a person chooses to participate, but that’s another argument for another article), thereby unlocking access to essential services. One could even speculate that tying essential life services to a digital ID might do more harm than good.

Original article can be found here.

(1) https://unite.un.org/sites/unite.un.org/files/emerging-tech-series-blockchain.pdf