Dear Reader,

Trust has always been at the core of identity, whether hidden in a cipher or safeguarded by a blockchain. In this issue of TRUST Magazine, we explore how secure identities have evolved — from unsolved encryption mysteries of the 19th century to today’s biometric authentication and sovereign digital infrastructures.

We begin with Klaus Schmeh’s column on unsolved encryption. His latest case revisits a mysterious encrypted newspaper ad from Colorado in 1889, published by the “Gun Wa” company. Unlike the many cipher puzzles left by secret lovers or business partners, this ad remains unreadable to modern cryptographers. Was it clever marketing, clandestine communication, or a code still waiting to be cracked? This historical glimpse reminds us that the challenge of securing identity is not new.

Fast-forward to the digital age, and Adam Ross examines blockchain’s promise for decentralized identity and DAO governance. Through projects like the Copernicus Beer collective, blockchain demonstrates both its strength in decentralization and its dependence on proven frameworks such as PKI and secure silicon. It is a tool — not a silver bullet — for building trust in a connected world.

Atefeh Mokallahi then explores the rise of biometric identity. By integrating id3 Technologies’ fingerprint verification into cryptovision SCinterface, Eviden introduces eID biometrics that combine privacy-first match-on-card security with seamless usability. In this future, authentication is no longer something you remember — it’s something you are.

Strategic foresight also plays a critical role. AdvanIDe’s CEO Holger Roessner shares how innovation and ownership culture drive the company’s role in secure identity tech. Meanwhile, Eviden’s new white paper outlines why sovereign digital identities are essential to resilience, compliance, and post-quantum readiness.

Finally, our reports from Identity Week 2025 in Amsterdam and ID4Africa in Addis Ababa capture the conversations shaping the next wave of secure digital identity worldwide.

Thanks for reading, and here’s to cracking puzzles, building smarter tech, and shaping the future of digital identity