DHS Awards Funds for Blockchain Security Technology

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Science and Technology Directorate (S&T) has awarded $159,040 to Learning Machine Technologies Inc. to develop blockchain security technology to prevent credential fraud.

Components of DHS, such as U.S. Customs and Border Protection and the Transportation Security Administration, issue, validate and verify credentials for a variety of purposes including travel, citizenship and employment. The current processes are often paper-based and do not facilitate data exchange, which makes them susceptible to loss, destruction, forgery and counterfeiting. S&T is exploring the application of blockchain and distributed ledger technology to allocate credentials digitally, improve security and prevent forgery.

Learning Machine Technologies’ Phase 1 award project, “Leveraging Learning Machine’s Commercial Offering in Public Infrastructure for Fraud Prevention,” will adapt the New York-based company’s current commercial technology using the open-source Blockcerts standard to support emerging global World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) security, privacy and interoperability standards such as decentralized identifiers (DID) and verifiable credentials for credential issuance and verification solutions. The proposed approach allows credential user and DID provider independence from vendor-specific accounts to access credentials and promotes holder control and interoperability.

For more information about S&T’s innovation programs and tools, visit www.dhs.gov/science-and-technology/business-opportunities.