Zero-knowledge proofs are cryptographic techniques that allow a prover
to convince a verifier that certain statements hold, without providing
any additional information. They are becoming increasingly popular in
the blockchain space, as they provide solutions to overcome inherent
weaknesses of blockchains: as they assume a complete lack of trust
between participants, every calculation has to be replicated by
multiple parties, which leads to poor efficiency. Also, blockchains
provide a shared public ledger, which by default is lacking any
privacy.
In this presentation, we will discuss zero-knowledge succinct
non-interactive arguments of knowledge (zkSNARKS). Using the mina
blockchain and smart contract system as an example, we will show how
they can be used to efficiently create trust in an untrusted
environment. We will also look at how they allow creating applications
with a programmable degree of privacy.
While zero knowledge techniques are a perfect match for blockchains,
and they are rapidly gaining traction in that industry, their
usefulness goes beyond that. The goal of this presentation is to
introduce the audience to the concept of zero knowledge proofs, and
provide a basic understanding and intuition of how they work, and
under which circumstances they can be useful.