Format Verification Policy Reference

This reference documents the format verification policy for the verifier service. The format policy validates that credentials and presentations conform to supported standards and data structures.

Policy Overview

The format verification policy is the first check in the verification process and ensures that the credential or presentation is structured correctly according to supported standards. It validates the data format, required fields, and structural integrity before proceeding with more specific verification checks.

Supported Standards

The format verification policy supports standards from multiple standards organizations:

Standard	Organization	Specification	Related Formats	Format Verification Aspects
JSON-LD 1.1	W3C	JSON-LD 1.1	W3C VCs, Data Integrity	Linked data context validation, @context resolution
JSON Web Token (JWT)	IETF	RFC 7519	JWT Credentials	JWT structure, header validation, claims format
SD-JWT VC	IETF	SD-JWT Draft	SD-JWT Credentials	JWT structure, disclosure format, binding validation
ISO 18013-5:2021	ISO	ISO 18013-5	Mobile Driving License	Data elements, document structure, security features
Verifiable Credentials Data Model v1.1	W3C	VC Data Model v1.1	W3C VCs	JSON-LD context, credential types, required properties
Verifiable Credentials Data Model v2.0	W3C	VC Data Model v2.0	W3C VCs	Updated JSON-LD context, credential structure

Format Verification Process

flowchart TD
    subgraph "Format Verification"
        Input[Credential/Presentation] --> DetectFormat[Format Detection]
        DetectFormat --> ValidateStructure[Structure Validation]
        ValidateStructure --> ValidateContext[Context Validation]
        ValidateContext --> ValidateType[Type Validation]
        ValidateType --> ValidateRequired[Required Fields Check]
        ValidateRequired --> Decision{Valid Format?}
        Decision -->|Yes| Valid[Valid]
        Decision -->|No| Invalid[Invalid Format]
    end

    style Input fill:#f9f9f9,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    style DetectFormat fill:#e1f5fe,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    style ValidateStructure fill:#e1f5fe,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    style ValidateContext fill:#e1f5fe,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    style ValidateType fill:#e1f5fe,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    style ValidateRequired fill:#e1f5fe,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    style Decision fill:#e1f5fe,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    style Valid fill:#dcedc8,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px
    style Invalid fill:#ffcdd2,stroke:#333,stroke-width:1px

When validating format, the policy performs the following checks:

1. Format detection - Identifies the format of the input (W3C VC, JWT, SD-JWT, etc.)
2. Structure validation - Verifies the overall structure follows the expected format
3. Context validation - For JSON-LD, validates the @context values
4. Type validation - Ensures the credential has the expected type values
5. Required fields - Checks that all required fields for the format are present
6. Format-specific validation - Applies additional checks based on the detected format

Configuration

The format verification policy offers various configuration options that control its behavior, including:

• Specifying supported formats and versions

For detailed configuration options, parameters, and default values, see the Verifier Configuration Reference.