Zero Knowledge

In this episode, Anna and Guillermo are joined by Alex Obadia and Nicola Greco, co-authors of the Quantum Punks Manifesto, for a discussion at the intersection of quantum technology and cryptography. They explore the cultural and technical gaps between the quantum and crypto communities, sharing the story behind the manifesto, their vision for bridging these worlds and the applications that such a combination could unlock.   Related links: Quantum Punks Manifesto Episode 288: Quantum Cryptography with Or Sattath Episode 357: Quantum Engineering with Jelena Vučković Paris Workshop Video Playlist Teleport.Best Flashbots Project Aria Protocol Labs Conjugate Coding BB84: Quantum cryptography: Public key distribution and coin tossing   Further reading: The Coming Wave: New Applications of Quantum Cryptography -- Nicola Greco (DeepQuantum) Quantum Punks’ meta-list of resources Quantum cryptography with classical communication: parallel remote state preparation for copy-protection, verification, and more by Gheorghiu, Metger and Poremba Colbeck, R. (2006) Quantum And Relativistic Protocols For Secure Multi-Party Computation (Device Independence)   ---------------   zkSummit13 happens next week! Buy your ticket now at www.zksummit.com.   ---------------   Missing Link are a talent team built for the Web3 era, helping projects across the ecosystem connect with the right candidates at the right time.    Whether you're an established project or a startup searching for specialized talent, Missing Link can help. Visit their website at missing-link.io.    ---------------   **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 Read transcript

In this episode, Anna and Nico speak with Vadim Lyubashevsky, research scientist at IBM Research, about the evolving field of lattice-based cryptography and its role in zero-knowledge systems. Vadim shares the history and mathematical foundations of lattices, and explains how they might be used to build post-quantum secure ZK proofs and SNARKs. The conversation covers the unique challenges of adapting lattice techniques to zero-knowledge, explores the tradeoffs relative to hash-based constructions, and highlights the importance of developing quantum-safe standards for the future of cryptography. Related links: Episode 345: Latest ZK Research with Dan Boneh Episode 288: Quantum Cryptography with Or Sattath LaBRADOR: Compact Proofs for R1CS from Module-SIS⋆ IBM’s post-quantum NIST published standards Project11 Minkowski’s Geometry of Numbers LLL reduction Shortest vector problem Basic Lattice Cryptography: The concepts behind Kyber (ML-KEM) and Dilithium (ML-DSA) by Vadim Lyubashevsky     Spots for zkSummit13 are limited - grab your ticket at www.zksummit.com!     Missing Link are a talent team built for the Web3 era, helping projects across the ecosystem connect with the right candidates at the right time. Whether you're an established project or a startup searching for specialized talent, Missing Link can help. Visit their website at missing-link.io.      **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     Read transcript

Lasha Antadze, co-founder of Rarilabs and Rarimo, dives into the world of decentralized identity solutions using zero-knowledge proofs. He shares insights from his transition from government eID systems to innovative, client-side identity verification. The conversation reveals Rarimo’s unique approach to censorship-resistant voting and privacy-preserving account recovery. Topics such as the challenges of trust in cryptographic systems, AI governance implications, and the integration of blockchain with personal data security highlight the future of digital identity.

Jelena Vučković, a Professor at Stanford's Nanoscale and Quantum Photonics Lab, dives into the thrilling realm of quantum engineering. She discusses the fundamentals of quantum entanglement and its revolutionary applications in secure communications. Jelena also shares her journey from applied mathematics to experimental photonics and the significance of quantum defects in material science. The conversation turns to the future of quantum sensors and demystifies the concept of quantum teleportation, revealing its exciting yet complex role in information security.

In this episode Anna explores the contentious topic of ZK benchmarking with Conner Swann, founder of ProofLab. Drawing parallels with AI's development, they explore how tools like ProofLab could help standardize benchmarking across dimensions like speed, cost, and security. The conversation touches on the importance of formal verification and real-world workload testing, while considering how better benchmarking could accelerate ZK adoption and potentially lead to ZK's own 'ChatGPT moment' Related links: zkSummit The Zero-Knowledge Community Survey NoirHack Noir ethProofs Designing Optimistic Interoperability with Nomad Trusted Setup Ceremonies Explored Anna’s Post on Benchmarking The path to secure and efficient zkVMs: How to track progress Ben Fisch on Limiting Factors of Verifiable Compute ZKarnage Further reading: Celo Espero ceremony ZKVM Benchmarking The same thing that happened to AI is Happening to ZK     Applications for zkSummit13 are open, spots are limited for this edition so apply soon (www.zksummit.com) if you want to join.     ZK is finally easy with Noir, the fastest-growing zero-knowledge programming language. Build privacy-preserving apps without any ZK experience. Aztec Labs is running a 4 week program, Noir Hack, with $200K in funding and grants. Sign up now at noirhack.com.     **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       Read transcript

Norbert Vadas, Head of Product at ZkCloud, shares his expertise on prover networks and marketplaces. He discusses the evolution from centralized to decentralized proving models in blockchain. Norbert explains various economic strategies and the importance of cost-effective solutions for proof generation. They dive into proof aggregation and the role of off-chain verification, while exploring how ZkCloud enhances participation in proof marketplaces. Listen for insights on the future of large-scale zero-knowledge proving and its revolutionary potential.

Austin Hill, one of the original founders of Zero Knowledge Systems and co-founder of Blockstream, shares his journey from the early internet days in Montreal to navigating the dot-com boom. He discusses the ambitious mission for online privacy with their flagship product, Freedom, and the shift to a B2B approach. Austin reflects on his involvement in Bitcoin and the challenges of open-source infrastructure, as well as a new venture in material nanotechnology, exploring innovations while advocating for ethical privacy solutions in today's data-driven world.

Aayush Gupta, a developer of the ZK Email protocol and former MIT cryptography researcher, discusses groundbreaking advancements in bridging Web2 and Web3. He highlights innovative uses of zero-knowledge proofs for wallet-based account recovery and anonymous communication. The conversation dives into enhancing email security against threats like phishing and explores the future of digital signatures and their role in identity verification. Aayush also advocates for more equitable airdrops using ZK technology, aiming to create inclusivity in community rewards.

Jeffrey Scholz, founder of RareSkills, delves into ZK education and developer onboarding. He discusses their educational initiatives, including The ZK Book and interactive bootcamps. Jeffrey highlights strategies for simplifying complex concepts and creating adaptable learning resources. The conversation also touches on the demand for ZK professionals and the balance between practical coding and theoretical knowledge. Additionally, they analyze challenges in technical communication, such as the hype surrounding quantum computing versus the understanding of zero-knowledge proofs.

This week Anna jumps back into the story of Zero Knowledge Systems with Jonathan Wilkins, cofounder Blockstream and Cloaked Services and previous employee of ZKS back in 2000. They explore the emergence of security culture in the 1990s, what led Jonathan to join Zero Knowledge Systems and his experience working on projects such as the Freedom Network. They discuss the office atmosphere and the research lab before catching up on the work Jonathan has focused on since then. Key concepts we see in the ZK community today were first pioneered by the Zero Knowledge Systems research team and we hope to invite more of these past members of the team in the future!  Related links: Podcast Episode: Back to the Future with Zero Knowledge iSEC Partners X.25 Networks 2600 Meetups C++ Builder Delphi ‘Zero-Knowledge: Nothing Personal’ - Wired Handbook of Applied Cryptography by Alfred J. Menezes, Paul C. van Oorschot and Scott A. Vanstone Ian Goldberg profile Adam Schostack - Schostack + Associates Adam Back Twitter Austin Hill Twitter Bitcointalk  Tor Network Freedom Network excerpt by ScienceDirect         Applications for zkSummit13 are now open, spots are limited for this edition so apply soon (www.zksummit.com) if you want to join.     **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 Read transcript