Feasibility Study of Digital Passes for Human Access Control in Data Centers
Abstract
With the widespread adoption of smartphones, digital credential presentation systems---such as the EUDI Wallet and ISO-compliant mobile driver's licenses---are being deployed worldwide. In contrast, human access control at data centers still primarily relies on a combination of physical IC cards and biometric authentication. This creates a considerable burden for engineers who frequently need to access multiple facilities, as they must manage several physical IC cards. To address this issue, this study investigates the feasibility of introducing a digital access pass based on the Verifiable Credentials (VC) framework, currently being standardized by the W3C. Building on the experience gained through the development of a VC-based digital student ID system at Kyushu University, we propose a conceptual system that enables the issuance, presentation, and verification of credentials via smartphones. In this paper, we outline the current operational practices and challenges of human access control in data centers. We also present a conceptual model of a VC-based digital access pass, followed by a discussion of future directions and challenges for implementation.