Zero Knowledge

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

Mert Mumtaz, Co-founder and CEO of Helius, shares his insights on the Solana ecosystem and his journey through the recent crypto market downturn. He discusses the rise of zero-knowledge (ZK) projects, contrasting Solana’s landscape with Ethereum’s. Mert dives into the technically challenging yet supportive developer community, explores the implications of meme coins, and reflects on the evolution of crypto speculation. The conversation also uncovers advancements in cryptographic technologies that enhance privacy and efficiency within Solana.

Read transcript This week Anna catches up with Nico, Guillermo and Alex from Bain Capital Crypto to discuss two of their recent works; ZODA: Zero-Overhead Data Availability by the trio and The Accidental Computer by Alex & Guille. The group starts with a discussion about how papers like FRIDA and Foundations of Data Availability Sampling inspired ZODA and then cover the innovations presented in ZODA itself. They wrap up with a discussion about The Accidental Computer, and in doing so tease out some of the fundamental concepts in current ZK research.   Related links: ZK Podcast: Disclosures ZODA: Zero-Overhead Data Availability by Alex Evans, Guillermo Angeris and Nico Mohnblatt FRIDA: Data Availability Sampling from FRI by Mathias Hall-Andersen, Mark Simkin and Benedikt Wagner Foundations of Data Availability Sampling by Mathias Hall-Andersen, Mark Simkin and Benedikt Wagner The Accidental Computer: Polynomial Commitments from Data Availability by Alex Evans and Guillermo Angeris Guille's Tweet “anon, what if I told you that you can prove the correctness of the largest celestia block in <200ms on a single core of an mba” Bain Capital Crypto Blog   ---------------   Applications for zkSummit13 are now open, spots are limited for this edition so apply soon (www.zksummit.com) if you want to join. The deadline for Speaker applications is March 15th!   ---------------   IF YOU LIKE WHAT WE DO: Find all our links here! @ZeroKnowledge | Linktree Subscribe to our podcast newsletter Follow us on X @zeroknowledgefm Join us on Telegram Catch us on YouTube ZK Podcast website Read transcript