The Metaverse brings together components of parallel processing computing platforms, the digital development of physical systems, cutting-edge machine learning, and virtual identity to uncover a fully digitalized environment with equal properties to the real world. It possesses more rigorous requirements for connection, including safe access and data privacy, which are necessary with the advent of Metaverse technology. Traditional, centralized, and network-centered solutions fail to provide a resilient identity management solution. There are multifaceted security and privacy issues that hinder the secure adoption of this game-changing technology in contemporary cyberspace. Moreover, there is a need to dedicate efforts towards a secure-by-design Metaverse that protects the confidentiality, integrity, and privacy of the personally identifiable information (PII) of users. In this research paper, we propose a logical substitute for established centralized identity management systems in compliance with the complexity of the Metaverse. This research proposes a sustainable Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI), a fully decentralized identity management system to mitigate PII leaks and corresponding cyber threats on all multiverse platforms. The principle of the proposed framework ensures that the users are the only custodians and proprietors of their own identities. In addition, this article provides a comprehensive approach to the implementation of the SSI principles to increase interoperability and trustworthiness in the Metaverse. Finally, the proposed framework is validated using mathematical modeling and proved to be stringent and resilient against modern-day cyber attacks targeting Metaverse platforms.

Quantum computing presents a critical threat to the cryptographic basis of metaverse platforms, with Shor’s algorithm capable of breaking traditional public-key cryptography and Grover’s algorithm significantly weakening symmetric encryption. The present self-sovereign identity (SSI) ecosystems are built on classical cryptographic systems that are susceptible to quantum attacks; hence, there is an immediate need for quantum-secure identity management in persistent virtual environments. This article proposes a solution called Quantum-Resistant MetaSSI (QR-MetaSSI), which is a comprehensive model that integrates NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptography (PQC) with W3C-compliant SSI principles. We design lattice-based decentralized identifiers (PQ-DIDs), hash-based verifiable credentials (PQ-VCs), and a hybrid authentication protocol that meets the needs of the metaverse, such as latency, interoperability, and persistent identities. The framework is subjected to mathematical modeling and simulation studies. Our study indicates that QR-MetaSSI keeps the authentication delay below 150 ms, which is inside the VR comfort range with 128-bit quantum security. Besides that, a comparative evaluation reveals that the proposed solution drastically reduces the risk of a quantum attack compared with classical ECC-based SSI systems at a level of computational overhead that is completely reasonable. QR-MetaSSI is a major step forward in the security of the metaverse, providing not only theoretical bases but also practical implementation instructions for the migration to quantum-resistant identity management. This framework not only addresses the most important breaches in security but also keeps the performance standards that are necessary for the creation of virtual environments that are highly immersive.

Quantum computing presents a critical threat to the cryptographic basis of metaverse platforms, with Shor's algorithm capable of breaking traditional public-key cryptography and Grover's algorithm significantly weakening symmetric encryption. The present Self-Sovereign Identity (SSI) ecosystems are built on classical cryptographic systems that are susceptible to quantum attacks, hence, there is an immediate requirement for quantum, secure identity management in persistent virtual environments. This article propose a solution called Quantum-Resistant MetaSSI (QR-MetaSSI), which is a comprehensive model that integrating NIST-standardized post-quantum cryptography (PQC) with W3C-compliant SSI principles. We design lattice-based decentralized identifiers (PQ-DIDs), hash-based verifiable credentials (PQ-VCs), and a hybrid authentication protocol that meets the needs of the metaverse such as latency, interoperability, and persistent identities. The framework is subjected to mathematical modeling and simulation studies. Our study indicates that QR-MetaSSI keeps the authentication delay below 150 ms, which is inside VR comfort range with 128-bit quantum security. Besides that, a comparative evaluation reveals that the proposed solution drastically reduces the risk of a quantum attack as compared with classical ECC-based SSI systems at a level of computational overhead that is completely reasonable. QR-MetaSSI is a major step forward in the security of the metaverse, providing not only theoretical bases but also practical implementation instructions for the migration to quantum-resistant identity management. This framework not only addresses the most important breaches in security but also keeps the performance standards that are necessary for the creation of virtual environments that are highly immersive.