TY - GEN
T1 - Identity Threats in the Metaverse and Future Research Opportunities
AU - Awadallah, Abeer M.
AU - Damiani, Ernesto
AU - Zemerly, Jamal
AU - Yeun, Chan Yeob
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2023 IEEE.
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - The metaverse is the next-generation internet, which can be described as three-dimensional virtual environments that reflect different aspects of the physical world. Users can engage in various experiences while representing themselves as customizable digital avatars. Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Digital Twin, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Blockchain are key technologies that power immersion, interoperability, automation, and 3D elements of the metaverse. Recently, the metaverse has gained significant attention from the tech industry, especially with Facebook rebranding to Meta and announcing its vision for the future metaverse. The metaverse has many applications, including gaming, entertainment, shopping, education, healthcare, and work. Despite the revolutionary potential of the metaverse, several cybersecurity and privacy issues are inevitable and need to be addressed. Specifically, this paper focuses on highlighting identity-related risks for metaverse users. First, an overview of the metaverse elements, technologies, and characteristics is presented, along with a proposed definition of what a user's digital identity represents in the metaverse. Accordingly, potential identity risks and cybersecurity threats are discussed. Finally, AI and biometric authentication techniques are presented as possible solutions and future research opportunities.
AB - The metaverse is the next-generation internet, which can be described as three-dimensional virtual environments that reflect different aspects of the physical world. Users can engage in various experiences while representing themselves as customizable digital avatars. Virtual Reality (VR), Augmented Reality (AR), Digital Twin, Artificial Intelligence (AI), and Blockchain are key technologies that power immersion, interoperability, automation, and 3D elements of the metaverse. Recently, the metaverse has gained significant attention from the tech industry, especially with Facebook rebranding to Meta and announcing its vision for the future metaverse. The metaverse has many applications, including gaming, entertainment, shopping, education, healthcare, and work. Despite the revolutionary potential of the metaverse, several cybersecurity and privacy issues are inevitable and need to be addressed. Specifically, this paper focuses on highlighting identity-related risks for metaverse users. First, an overview of the metaverse elements, technologies, and characteristics is presented, along with a proposed definition of what a user's digital identity represents in the metaverse. Accordingly, potential identity risks and cybersecurity threats are discussed. Finally, AI and biometric authentication techniques are presented as possible solutions and future research opportunities.
KW - artificial intelligence
KW - augmented reality
KW - authentication
KW - biometrics
KW - cybersecurity
KW - digital identity
KW - digital twin
KW - metaverse
KW - virtual reality
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85160784650&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1109/ICBATS57792.2023.10111122
DO - 10.1109/ICBATS57792.2023.10111122
M3 - Conference contribution
AN - SCOPUS:85160784650
T3 - 2nd International Conference on Business Analytics for Technology and Security, ICBATS 2023
BT - 2nd International Conference on Business Analytics for Technology and Security, ICBATS 2023
PB - Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers Inc.
T2 - 2nd International Conference on Business Analytics for Technology and Security, ICBATS 2023
Y2 - 7 March 2023 through 8 March 2023
ER -