Zero Knowledge

This week features exciting updates from the ZK Hack ecosystem. The host announces the upcoming ZK Mesh newsletter, set for release on October 31. Additionally, the fifth module of ZK Whiteboard Season 3 is now available, showcasing engaging videos. Listeners can look forward to discussions on quantum computers and their implications in the next installment. Stay tuned for more insights!

Kevin Lacker, the mastermind behind Acorn, merges AI with theorem proving to transform formal mathematics. He discusses how Acorn simplifies proof writing, making it more intuitive compared to traditional tools like Lean. The conversation delves into the potential and pitfalls of AI in math, addressing challenges like hallucinations while emphasizing the benefits for research, especially in zero-knowledge proofs. Lacker also highlights Acornlib, an evolving mathematical library, and the community's role in its growth, making formal verification more accessible.

Sid Gandhi, Co-founder of Payy, and Calum Moore, its technical lead, dive into the future of private payments with the launch of the Payy Card. They discuss using a ZK Validium rollup architecture on Polygon, balancing privacy and compliance, and the intriguing tech behind client-side proofs. The duo reveals how the Payy Card achieves undoxable KYC, ensuring user privacy in transactions. They also explore challenges in self-sovereign finance and share insights on integrating with Visa, paving the way for a user-friendly, privacy-focused payment solution.

In this discussion, Théo Madzou, a ZK engineer and ZK Hack organizer, teams up with Michael Elliot, a longtime blockchain contributor, to unveil their innovative projects, ZKPassport and Obsidion. They delve into their backgrounds, highlighting Théo's ZK Hack successes and Michael's path from Bitcoin to identity systems. The duo explains how ZKPassport serves as a neutral identity solution and how Obsidion aims to enhance privacy in fintech. They also touch on mobile proving, KYC features using machine learning, and the challenge of integrating global ID standards.

Arnaud Brousseau and Jack Kearney, co-founders of Turnkey, bring their extensive experience from Coinbase to discuss innovative key management solutions. They dive into the role of trusted execution environments (TEEs) in preventing key misuse while enhancing automation. Key topics include remote attestation, the importance of reproducible builds for trust, and strategies against downgrade attacks. The duo also explores how granular policies can secure transactions while allowing flexibility for governance and AI applications.

Ian Miers, an Assistant Professor at the University of Maryland and a pioneering figure in zero-knowledge technology, covers a wealth of intriguing topics. He discusses his groundbreaking work on Zerocoin and Zcash, addressing early challenges in privacy on public ledgers. Ian shares the evolution of trusted setups, including Powers of Tau, and introduces his innovations like zk-creds for flexible anonymous credentials and zk-promises for anonymous reputation systems. The conversation also explores critical issues such as post-quantum security and the ethics of programmable privacy.

Join David Z, a seasoned ZK engineer and former Polygon contributor, alongside Oleksandr (Sasha), an expert in identity engineering and blockchain, as they delve into the evolution of ZK identity systems. They discuss their journey from iden3 to the launch of Privado ID and the ambitious Billions Network. Key points include the transformative Circom DSL, innovations in privacy-first tools, and the integration of AI agents into identity solutions. Their vision for creating accountable interactions in a decentralized world is captivating and forward-thinking.

Bobbin Threadbare, formerly of Facebook's Winterfell, and Gaylord Warner, an integral figure at ZK Hack, dive into the world of Miden and their groundbreaking zkVM. They unveil the project's journey from its roots in Polygon to its emergence as a leader in edge blockchain technology. The duo discusses innovative privacy solutions, including a custom instruction set and decentralized architecture. They also reflect on their experiences at various hackathons, emphasizing the importance of collaboration in advancing zero-knowledge education and the future of blockchain.

In this episode, Anna Rose and Tarun Chitra chat with Huijia (Rachel) Lin from the University of Washington to explore indistinguishability obfuscation (iO), often described as the 'holy grail of cryptography'. iO is a powerful primitive that, if fully realised, could have profound implications for privacy tech as a whole. Rachel helps break down the concept for listeners who may already be familiar with ZK, FHE and TEEs, clarifying how iO differs but also some of the similarities in the assumptions upon which it is based. Rachel also explains how it differs from similar concepts: garbled circuits and functional encryption.   The discussion covers the evolution of iO research in her work over the last decade, how the cryptographic assumptions have hardened since that time, and what iO can offer in terms of precise, controlled information revelation.   Related links: Indistinguishability obfuscation from well-founded assumptions Indistinguishability Obfuscation from DDH-like Assumptions on Constant-Degree Graded Encodings On Lattices, Learning with Errors, Random Linear Codes, and Cryptography How to Use Indistinguishability Obfuscation: Deniable Encryption, and More Functional Encryption for Quadratic Functions, and Applications to Predicate Encryption Garbled circuit     ZK Whiteboard Season 3 just kicked off with our first Module all about Hash Functions! In this, we have host Nico and guest JP Aumauson walk us through how to build a Hash Function. JP was also previously on the show to discuss the topic, you can see his episode here! See all Whiteboard Sessions including previous seasons here.      **If you like what we do:** * Find all our links here! @ZeroKnowledge | Linktree * Subscribe to our podcast newsletter * Follow us on Twitter @zeroknowledgefm * Join us on Telegram * Catch us on YouTube   **Support the show:** * Patreon * ETH - Donation address * BTC - Donation address * SOL - Donation address Read transcript

In this discussion, Tarun Chitra, an investor at Robot Ventures with a focus on blockchain and perpetual DEXs, joins the hosts to explore the cutting-edge Lighter project. They dive into the origins and evolution of perpetual trading, comparing privacy and transparency in market-making. Tarun emphasizes the benefits of custom ZK circuits over existing zkVMs for system efficiency. The conversation also covers the role of quants and engineers in building robust DEXs, and the innovative ways Lighter utilizes Ethereum and zero-knowledge rollups to enhance trading experience.