concept physical credential in category system administration

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With physical credentials, this is typically accomplished through some proof of authenticity embedded directly in the credential itself (like a watermark, hologram, or some other special printing feature), or via a claim stating the expiration date. It can also be done by checking directly with the issuer that the credential is valid, accurate, and current. But this manual verification process can be difficult and time-consuming — a major reason why there is a worldwide black market in falsified credentials.

Figure 2.2: A mapping of three of the four core components of a W3C verifiable credential to the physical equivalent. The fourth component—the issuer’s digital signature—can only be produced in a physical credential by some form of watermark, hologram, or other hard-to-forge seal.