# Attestations Attestations are a powerful concept in blockchain technology, allowing one entity to make verified claims about another or about specific data on the blockchain. The Ethereum Attestation Service (EAS) is an open-source, permissionless platform that enables the creation, verification, and management of these attestations on or off-chain. ## What are Attestations? Attestations are essentially digital signatures that vouch for certain attributes or facts. They can be used for: * Identity Verification * Reputation Systems * Compliance Checks * Ownership Proofs * And much more! ## Types of Attestations in Zipwire ### Basic Attestations: "IsAHuman" A simple boolean attestation that verifies a wallet belongs to a real person. [Learn more about IsAHuman →](/fundamentals/security/attestations/the-isahuman-attestation-purpose-and-limitations.md) ### Robust Attestations: Private Data A more secure attestation that uses Merkle root hashes to verify identity documents while preserving privacy. [Learn more about Private Data attestations →](/fundamentals/security/attestations/the-private-data-attestation-merkle-roots.md) ## Getting Attestations ### Self-Service Attestations {% content-ref url="" %} {% endcontent-ref %} Zipwire Attest is our self-service platform where individuals can register, connect their Ethereum wallet, and get blockchain attestations independently. This service allows you to: * **Register independently** - No business account required * **Connect your wallet** - Receive attestations directly to your wallet * **Complete ID verification** - Government-approved identity checks * **Get attested** - Claim IsAHuman and Private Data attestations * **Generate proofs** - Create selective disclosure proofs when needed {% hint style="info" %} **Self-Service vs. Business Use** Zipwire Attest is designed for individual users who want to build their digital identity. For business use cases (like employee verification), use [Zipwire Collect](https://github.com/zipwireapp/gbk-tz-docs/blob/main/fundamentals/security/zipwire-collect/README.md) which integrates attestations into the document collection process. {% endhint %} ### Business Attestations For businesses and organizations, attestations can be obtained through Zipwire Collect when ID checks are included in document collections. This works as follows: * **ID check integration** - Collections can include ID verification items * **Wallet connection** - Users connect their Ethereum wallet to the collection * **Free attestations** - Users can claim attestations for free (business pays for ID check) * **Same verification** - Uses the same Yoti ID verification as Zipwire Attest * **Same attestations** - Users receive the same IsAHuman and Private Data attestations {% hint style="info" %} **Overlap with Zipwire Attest** Zipwire Collect and Zipwire Attest overlap when it comes to ID checks. If a collection includes an ID check item and the user has connected their wallet, they can claim attestations for free since the business paid for the ID verification through Zipwire Collect. {% endhint %} ## How Do Attestations Work? ### The Process 1. Verification: An attester (like Zipwire) verifies your information 2. Recording: The attestation is recorded on the blockchain 3. Verification: You can later prove specific attributes without revealing the underlying data ### Privacy and Security * The blockchain only stores the attestation and its Merkle root hash, not your actual data * You can selectively reveal specific attributes using cryptographic proofs * The system maintains your privacy while ensuring verifiability ## Why Use Attestations? ### For Users * Privacy: Share only what you need to share * Control: You decide what information to reveal * Portability: Use your attestations across different platforms * Security: Cryptographic proofs ensure your data hasn't been tampered with ### For Platforms * Trust: Verify user information without storing sensitive data * Compliance: Meet regulatory requirements while respecting privacy * Efficiency: Reduce the need for repeated identity checks * Security: Prevent fraud and identity theft ## How to Get Started ### For Individual Users 1. **Visit Zipwire Attest**: Go to our self-service platform 2. **Connect Your Wallet**: Link your Ethereum wallet (must be done before verification) 3. **Complete ID Check**: Verify your identity using government-approved methods 4. **Claim Attestations**: Add IsAHuman and Private Data attestations to your wallet 5. **Generate Proofs**: Create selective disclosure proofs when needed {% content-ref url="" %} {% endcontent-ref %} ### For Businesses 1. **Set up Zipwire Collect**: Configure your document collection process 2. **Add ID check items**: Include ID verification in your collections 3. **Users connect wallets**: Users link their Ethereum wallets to the collection 4. **Complete verification**: Users complete ID checks as part of the collection 5. **Claim attestations**: Users can claim free attestations to their wallets {% content-ref url="" %} {% endcontent-ref %} ## Learn More * [Understanding Merkle Trees and Proofs](/fundamentals/security/understanding-merkle-trees-and-proofs.md) * [Verifying Attested Wallets](/fundamentals/security/wallet-verification-guide/verifying-attested-wallets.md) * [The Ethereum Attestation Service](https://docs.attest.org/docs/welcome) * [EAS Scan for the Base Ethereum blockchain](https://base.easscan.org/) --- # Agent Instructions: Querying This Documentation If you need additional information that is not directly available in this page, you can query the documentation dynamically by asking a question. Perform an HTTP GET request on the current page URL with the `ask` query parameter: ``` GET https://docs.zipwire.io/fundamentals/security/attestations.md?ask= ``` The question should be specific, self-contained, and written in natural language. The response will contain a direct answer to the question and relevant excerpts and sources from the documentation. Use this mechanism when the answer is not explicitly present in the current page, you need clarification or additional context, or you want to retrieve related documentation sections.