The Future of Digital Identity & KERI
Gain working knowledge of the KERI protocol, verifiable credentials, and the Veridian platform
The internet was built without a native identity layer, leaving organizations dependent on stopgap solutions like Public Key Infrastructure (PKI) and blockchain-based Decentralized Identifiers (DIDs) for over 30 years. This course introduces Autonomic Trust, a model where identity is self-certifying, portable, and mathematically verifiable without intermediaries. Across 18 focused units, learners gain a working understanding of the Key Event Receipt Infrastructure (KERI) protocol and how the Veridian platform makes these capabilities accessible and enterprise-ready.
Course overview
Key takeaways
Differentiate between Administrative (PKI), Algorithmic (blockchain), and Autonomic (KERI) trust models, and understand the security implications of each approach.
Understand the core components of the KERI protocol, including Autonomic Identifiers (AIDs), Key Event Logs (KELs), Pre-Rotation, Witnesses, and Watchers.
Examine how Authentic Chained Data Containers (ACDCs) enable verifiable trust hierarchies and delegation chains that go beyond standard W3C credentials.
Apply knowledge of the verifiable Legal Entity Identifier (vLEI) system as a real-world, ISO-standardized implementation of KERI operating globally.
Evaluate how the Veridian platform transforms the KERI protocol into enterprise-ready tools, including multi-signature governance, delegation, and wallet and agent architecture.
Identify how KERI-based systems deliver quantum-resistant security and low-to-zero transaction costs compared to PKI and blockchain-based identity alternatives.
Determine how to apply these concepts within organizational strategy, regulatory compliance frameworks, and enterprise infrastructure planning.
Learning outcomes
Distinguish between the three dominant trust models and articulate the practical limitations of PKI and blockchain-based identity in enterprise contexts.
Explain how Autonomic Identifiers, Key Event Logs, and Pre-Rotation work together to deliver self-sovereign, cryptographically verifiable identity.
Analyze how ACDCs enable credential chaining and verifiable trust hierarchies superior to existing W3C Verifiable Credential standards.
Interpret the GLEIF vLEI ecosystem as a production-grade implementation of KERI, with direct implications for legal identity verification and compliance.
Assess how Veridian bridges the gap between cryptographic protocol and practical enterprise deployment, enabling identity systems that are secure by design and private by default.
Establish a foundational understanding of the broader Trust over IP (ToIP) stack required to engage with the evolving decentralized identity ecosystem.
Who should attend
Enterprise decision-makers seeking to evaluate the strategic advantages of KERI-based identity systems over traditional PKI and blockchain-dependent infrastructure.
Developers new to decentralized identity who want to understand the fundamentals of cryptographic trust before moving into implementation.
Legal and compliance professionals responsible for corporate identity verification who need to understand how vLEI delivers legally binding digital signatures and audit-proof chains of authority.
Blockchain and Web3 developers looking to understand how KERI differs from existing DID methods and where it fits within the broader decentralized identity landscape.