Open Access

Fatemeh Stodt, Christoph Reich

• In today’s technology-driven world, the management of digital identities has become a crucial concern. This is mainly because of the widespread use of online services and digital devices. The widespread use of digital platforms has created a complex web of online identities, placing the responsibility of juggling numerous usernames, passwords, and authentication methods on individuals. Digital wallets have emerged as a promising solution to tackle this complex challenge. This text highlights the versatility of these tools, which allow users to securely store, efficiently manage, and effectively utilize their digital assets, including personal data, payment information, and various credentials. In addition, the field of digital identity management has seen the rise of federated services, which provide users with the convenience of accessing multiple services using just one digital identity. An exceptional example in this field is Gaia-X, an innovative initiative focused on creating a reliable and secure data infrastructure. Gaia-X showcases the immense potential of federated services in bolstering digital identity management. This paper delves into a comprehensive examination of digital identity management, specifically examining the use of digital wallets and federated services. Our investigation delves into the categorization of identities needed to access various cloud services, taking into account their distinct requirements and characteristics. In addition, we explore the ever-changing world of digital wallets and federated identity management in the cloud. This sheds light on the upcoming requirements, challenges, and advantages. In addition, we present a thorough categorization scheme for cloud services, distinguishing them based on their security and privacy requirements. In this framework, we demonstrate the strategic mapping of different identity types to each category, providing a practical approach to aligning identity measures with the specific services being accessed.