Steemit Crypto Academy Contest / S12W6 - Privacy is important.
About zero knowledge protocol we can say that its a type of cryptographic method that permits a person to prove that they have enough knowledge about something without disclosing actual information.You say say that It's just like this as you know the secret but you are not telling it openly.Zero knowledge protocol is responsible for promotion of transactions but it also ensure the security and originality of transactions.So it's a great way of protection of identities of users while making transactions and their details secret and secure.
If I talk about my opinion related to zero knowledge protocol then it is very amazing protocol for the enhancement of security and privacy of users because it is one of the best thing that enables different parties to authenticate each other as well as exchange information without revealing the sensitive or personal data of others.
Example
Now I am going to share an example which is imaginary so let's discuss the scenario;
Let's say that my friend name is Ali and he had an excess to a secret facility and he wants to prove to me that he knows that secret. He wants to prove to me that he knows password that how he can enter the facility without disclosing my personal information so here zero knowledge protocol can work in this way;
When my friend Ali and me agree on this challenge then Ali ask me to randomly pick any number and I pick seven let's say and then I told that number to Ali. After that my friend started his calculations to prove that he can enter in secret facility so he takes number 7 and raise it to the power of his secret password and if I imagine that his password is 3 then he calculates in this way
7^3 = 343
When my friend Ali shared results of his calculation then it was digits 343. Me as a verifier now can check that Ali actually knows the password without knowing password itself. So after that I will take the result I performs calculation on my own. I will raise the number 7 which was my imaginary digit I choose and I would raise number 7 to the power of number that Ali randomly gives to me which was 3.
If after my calculations my answer would match with answer of Ali that he gives me then I must be confident after that about Ali that he really knows the password. So this is a in which Ali becomes successful in proving his knowledge off password without disclosing the sensitive information or actual password so it is very impressive and cool method according to me related to privacy and security.
ZK-SNARK, stands for zero knowledge succinct non-interactive argument of knowledge. It is a type of protocol which permits a person to prove validity of any statement which he is giving without disclosing personal information about it.Its just like as Saying I have solution of problem but not telling solution itself.
ZK-SNARK is another cryptographic protocol that is very fascinating for me because it have various implications for privacy and security. This is a protocol which enables most verifiable proofs and that's why making it very valuable in different applications like Blockchain acknowledges and privacy preserving computations and many more....
Example
Just like above in this question I am again sharing an imaginary example;
Again let's say that there is my friend whose name is Ali and he again wants to prove to me that there is a mathematical problem and he knows the solution of that problem but he is not telling me actual solution of that problem so let's apply ZK-SNARK protocol here;
First of all my friend Ali would use a complex mathematical process for creation of proof that would actually demonstrate his knowledge of solution of that mathematical problem and proof would generated in a way that it could be verified without disclosing any information about solution itself.
After that my friend Ali would share proof with me that he would generate after complex mathematics and he would also send me the statement that he want to prove and that proof would not reveal anything about solution as well as it could also not disclose that how my friend Ali arrived at it.
Me as a verifier would you take proof and statement that my friend Ali gives to me and he wants to prove it so by the use of ZK-SNARK protocol I would be able to verify the proofs validity without any need to know solution or in between steps or intermediate steps.
If the proof that my friend gives to me passes my verification then I must be confident that my friend Ali knows the solution of problem but still I would have no excess to actual solution of problem.
ZK-SNARK Is a cryptographic protocol that enables secure proof of knowledge and it has ability to revolutionize the privacy in different fields and ensures the sensitive information that it would remain confidential while still permitting for verifications.
Zero knowledge succinct non interactive argument of knowledge is our protocol that permits anyone to prove validity of statement which he is giving without disclosing any personal information.
Following are the some of simple steps by which you can easily understand that how zero knowledge succinct non interactive argument of knowledge protocol works so let's discuss preceding steps into simple terms.
To understand how ZK-SNARK works, let's break it down into simpler terms:
1. Setup Phase:
This is first phase related to the working of ZK-SNARK protocol So in this phase there is a trusted party who generates two keys and they are proving key and verification key and both these keys are used in next steps which are also called subsequent steps.
2. Prover Phase:
Second phase is prover phase and prover is a person that wants to prove a statement and for this purpose there is a need of proving key so that proof may be generated and proof is generating by the use of complex mathematical computations and that proof is designed in a way that it can be verified but it does not disclose any personal information or data.
3. Verifier Phase:
Now it is 3rd phase which is verifier phase and verifier is a person that wants to verify statement for its validity and it uses verification key and also uses proof that is generated by prover. Verifier performs complications on proofs and statement so that he may check if the proof is valid or not and after that if verification process succeeds then verifier becomes confident related to statement validity but still he don't gain any information which is private or personal.
Adaptation of ZK-SNARK protocol at steem blockchain
Here I am talking about adaptation of ZK-SNARK protocol at steem blockchain.
Steem is decentralized Blockchain We all know and it is like social media platform that is responsible for giving reward to users for their contributions for blockchain.ZK-SNARK protocol is a privacy enhancing way that's why I think It may not be directly applied on steem blockchain in it's current form.Steem is a blockchain whose primary focus is on transparency and accountability in its ecosystem.
If we think to implement ZK-SNARK protocol on steem blockchain then it would be very resource taking and in addition It would lead to delayed transaction processing and can also make steem let's scalable when it would involve more computational work. However it is very valuable to notice that techniques that are for privacy enhancement can be very beneficial in different aspects of steem Blockchain.If I give an example then for protection of identities of users privacy is very important and if we want to ensure the confidentiality of private information or data which is sharing on platform then in this way privacy is also very important.
ZK-SNARK protocol is not a much good option for directly applying on steem blockchain so according to my personal opinion there should be other techniques for the enhancement of privacy that should be explored.Steem Blockchain apply techniques for their privacy which includes zero knowledge proofs or other cryptographic techniques that also make a balance between privacy, transparency as well as also permit users to maintain their privacy while they are participating in platform dynamics as well.
If we want to take any decision related to adaptation of any privacy technique then it would take or require careful consideration by keeping in mind that there are some goals of platfrom as well as by keeping in mind feedback of community as well as trade-offs between privacy and transparency.
Here is a summary of major differences in between ZK-SNARKs and ZK-STARKs in tabular form.
| ZK-SNARKs | ZK-STARKs |
|---|---|
| ZK-SNARK stands for Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge | ZK-STARK stands for Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge |
| It is based on elliptic curve pairings | It is based on polynomial interpolation and low-degree testing |
| It is most efficient protocol with some short proofs but it have very fast verification timing | It is also efficient protocol but it is more scalable and it handles large amount of data |
| There is a requirement of trusted setup in this protocol | This protocol don't require any trusted setup |
| This protocol have a reliance on different cryptographic assumptions which are specific | Assumptions of this protocol is based upon some other thing than ZK-SNARK |
| This protocol is used in blockchain project like Zcash | This protocol is considered more secure than ZK-SNARK |
Detailed difference between ZK-SNARK and ZK-STARK.
ZK-SNARK and ZK-STARK but falling at the category of zero knowledge proofs but there are also some similarities in them as well as some differences in them.
ZK-SNARK Is cryptographic protocol that permits a person to prove validity of a statement without disclosing any information about statement. This is a protocol that is used for enhancement of privacy purposes and it is popular in different blockchains applications.
ZK-STARKs is considered more advanced protocol. This is a protocol which address some of the limitations of zero knowledge succinct non interactive argument of knowledge protocol most particularly If we talk about in terms of transparency and scalability.
ZK-STARKs and ZK-SNARK underlying difference in their mathematical constructions because ZK-SNARK have its reliance on quadratic arthemetic program concept which involves algebraic computations which are very complex. These computations are also very costly computationally more especially for large scale applications.
ZK-STARKs rely upon polynomial commitments or polynomial constraints mathematical construction. This is a construction That permits for more scalable proofs which makes ZK-STARKs very suitable application which requires high level of scalability like in blockchain networks.
ZK-SNARK Is non-transparent protocol because there is a trusted setup phase in prove generation process. In this phase,there is a trusted party which generates proving and verification keys that can introduce level of trust in system. If suppose that trusted setup is being compromised due to any reason then it could undermine the guarantee of security of ZK-SNARK.
ZK-STARKs Is one of the most transparent protocol and there is no requirement of trustee to set up in it, making them more resistant for different attacks. Transparency is a property that is valuable Florida application which are promoting the decentralization like blockchains.
ZK-STARKS protocol offers more scalability as compared to ZK-SNARK.Proof size of ZK-STARKs does not depends upon size of computation that is being proven so it means that proof size would remain same respective of complexity of the statement that is being proved. This is a scalability feature which makes ZK-STARKs more suitable for large scale applications where efficiency and scalability is crucial.
Steem Blockchain utilize different ways for enhancement of protection of users information.
Pseudonyms use is one of the privacy feature at steem blockchain. Users at steem blockchain are allowed openly to create and operate their accounts under pseudonyms which maintains privacy of a user.
Steem blockchain permits its users that they might control visibility of their content and users can make their posts publically or privately which gives them flexibility to share their information with some particular users or with whole community.This is another way which gives control to users to maintain their personal data private.
Encryption Is one of the most common privacy mechanism used by Steem blockchain.Transactions that happen at blockchain remain encrypted which ensures that personal information would remain protected from unauthorized success.
Steem blockchain works on delegated proof of stake mechanism that's why it gives ability to users so that they may vote for delegators who are responsible for validation of blocks so in this way these delegators don't have any access to transactions or personal informations of users which make it very difficult to have an access to personal data by an unauthorized person or access .
- Steem blockchain have a decentralized architecture which means that there is no control of any central authority who is controlling the data of user.Decentralization also enhances privacy by the reduction in risk of breaches.
It's true that steem blockchain is offering different privacy mechanism but still there is a need to take precautions and additional measures by users for their personal information protection which includes stronger passwords as well as enabling two factor authentication etc.
Greetings friend,
The Zero-Knowledge Proof concept is achieved by using mathematical algorithms and cryptographic methods, allowing one user (prover) to convince another (the verifier) that a statement is true without revealing any sensitive information about the statement.
ZK-SNARK I believe can be adapted to the STEEM blockchain by enforcing it as a privacy-enhancing layer for transactions. This way, it can help in the protection of the confidentiality of transaction details while still ensuring their validity. Adding an extra layer of security and privacy to the STEEM blockchain.
However, to do that, we will have to consider the drawbacks of the ZK-SNARK protocol, as you've stated, such as requiring higher computation resources hence it can lead to slow traffic in carrying out transactions.
Thank you for sharing your knowledge with us and all the best in the contest.
First of all I want to say congratulations to you that you participate in this engagement challenge as well as you also find an opportunity to comment on my post and to share your reviews on my post that you like my words and my knowledge in this post or not.
I agree with you that zero knowledge proof is a protocol which we can get through mathematical algorithm but it is really very safest method in terms of privacy.
I agree with you that ZK-SNARK is a protocol which have some of the disadvantages and drawbacks that make it less popular and one of a most common problem with this protocol is that it use high computer sources that's why transactions becomes much difficult in this way
Thanks for your visit and my post and again I want to say that I have a lot of prayers for you and many many love from me.
Hello brother.
You have explained every topic in simple words and I am impressed with the examples you have given in the above topics.
True. Both are a type of zk protocol that's why, they also have some similarities and differences as well.
You have discussed good differences between both of them.
Great post.
Good luck for the contest.
How are you brother hope you would be safer as well as I am happy that you understand everything but every I write about questions that was the requirement of topic.
If I talk about either they are ZK-STARKs and ZK-SNARK protocols which are different from each other to some extent as I have also explain in a table of difference as well as in a detailed way below them that table. I wish good luck and success to you
Saludos amigo khursheedanwar, excelente participación.
Ahora sabemos sobre estos protocolos que brindan seguridad mediante metodos criptográfico para proteger la información, solo se necesitan de mensajes encriptados para realizar ciertas operaciones, por lo que la información sensible siempre esta oculta y algo oculto no se puede robar.
Te deseo un feliz y bendecido día.
Your compliment at my post is looking very attractive in first line because I really love the way which you have told me that my participation is excellent and it is really inspiring and motivating line for me.
I agree with you that these are the protocols that have main purpose of providing security to personal information which is also called sensitive information. I also busy to give you are angry and that was very super I wish you success in this engagement challenge.
Convencer a otro de que se tiene un secreto valioso sin revelarlo no es tarea fácil para la criptografía, pues la tecnología de la ZKP lo logra bajo un complejo algoritmo criptográfico que muy pocos pueden manejar. Es un trabajo que inició en la década de los 80 por lo que podemos imaginar el gran poder computacional que demanda.
Comparto contigo la incompatibilidad del ZK-SNARK con la transparencia que caracteriza a una red social como Steemit, además de las implicaciones de tiene una gran demanda computacional que comprometería la escalabilidad. Steemit creo ofrece la privacidad necesaria y no necesita un ZKP.
Gracias por compartir tan excelente contenido. Mucha suerte y éxito.
First I want to say thanks to you that you made good efforts to reply to my post and you gain good knowledge from my post and I agree with you that zero knowledge protocol is a technique and technology which is responsible that you have a secret but actually don't expose secret and yes zero knowledge protocol is a protocol that starts in 80 is and that's why we all imagine that it has high computational power and demands I strongly agree with you.
ZK-SNARK incompatibility in terms of transparency and I agree that steemit don't follow zero knowledge protocol but doesn't mean that it have no ways and no mechanism for protection of blockchain but hair are list of mechanism I have also explain that is important for privacy and security of steem.
Thanks for your compliment at my post and I also visit your entry that was also very excellent I also wish you good luck.
Hey friend,
From the example you stated above there is evidence that you fully understand the term and question asked by our honorable professors on steem blockchain.
Thanks for sharing such lovely post, please also engage on my post https://steemit.com/hive-108451/@starrchris/steemit-crypto-academy-contest-s12w6-privacy-is-important
Hello my friend first of all I want to say Good morning and then I want to say that you work very hard and comment on my post in all visible way and yes the point which you highlighting from my post is really a practical and imaginary example that I have shared with all of you guys.
Yes I fully understand the question that's why I was able to make a scenario type question and its answer so that it would be more clear to all of you and yes sure I would definitely like to visit your entry to and hopefully it would be as good as your comment