Identity authentication and validation

A method of validating identity credentials of a user attempting to access a resource provided by a remote resource provision system, the method comprising:

• receiving, by an authentication system, from the resource provision system, an authentication request comprising a cryptographic representation of digital identity data of the user, which is based on a one-way cryptographic hashing algorithm, and an associated token identifier, the digital identity data comprising at least one image of an identity document of the user, the associated token identifier specific to the digital identity data;
• determining, by the authentication system, a pre-stored cryptographic identifier corresponding to the token identifier;
• comparing, by the authentication system, the received cryptographic representation with the pre-stored cryptographic identifier;
• and
• transmitting, by the authentication system, to the remote resource provision system, in response to determining a match between the received cryptographic representation and the pre-stored cryptographic identifier, an authentication confirmation indicating successful validation of the digital identity data.