User Controlled Authorization Network (UCAN) is a capability-based authorization system that enables users to delegate permissions without requiring a centralized authority. UCAN puts control back in the hands of users while maintaining the highest levels of security and privacy.
UCAN was built with the belief that authorization systems should empower users without compromising privacy or requiring trust in central authorities. UCAN's decentralized approach ensures that users maintain complete control over their permissions and data, no matter the connectivity status or network conditions.
User Control: Users maintain complete control over their authorizations. All permissions are user-originated and can be revoked at any time.
Cryptographic Security: All authorizations are cryptographically signed and verifiable, ensuring that permissions cannot be forged or tampered with.
Decentralized: No central authority is required for authorization verification. The system operates in a completely distributed manner.
Offline-First: UCAN works without an internet connection, enabling authorization even in disconnected environments.
Composable: UCANs can be chained and combined to create complex authorization flows while maintaining security guarantees.
UCAN leverages proven cryptographic primitives and standards to ensure maximum security and interoperability:
UCAN is designed to be standards-compliant and interoperable with existing web technologies. It builds on established protocols and can be integrated into any system that supports JWT and standard HTTP mechanisms.
UCAN is developed and maintained by a working group of security experts, cryptographers, and distributed systems engineers. The specification is open-source and community-driven, ensuring transparency and broad adoption.
We welcome contributions from the community and are committed to making UCAN the standard for decentralized authorization. If you're interested in contributing or have questions, please visit our GitHub repository or join our community discussions.
The UCAN specification continues to evolve based on real-world usage and community feedback. Our roadmap includes: