Zero Knowledge

In this episode, Anna Rose speaks with Florent Tavernier from Self and Marek Olszewski from Self and Celo to explore how Self are bringing identity onchain using ZK, the Sybil protection that offers, and the origins of OpenPassport. The discussion covers Self's approach to supporting different forms of ID, the challenges of disparate cryptographic standards, and how government signatures can be used to bootstrap onchain identity systems.  Related links: Self Protocol on X/Twitter Episode 364: AI and ZK Auditing with David Wong Episode 363: Bringing ZK to Google Wallet with Abhi and Matteo Episode 358: Building ZK Registries Onchain with Rarimo Episode 93: Light clients & ZKPs with Celo Celo ZK Email Modular Summit 3 panel (with Florent and Anna) Plumo: An Ultralight Blockchain Client 0xPARC MiniPay Map of each country’s cryptography choices Aadhaar p0tion: Toolkit for Groth16 Phase 2 Trusted Setup ceremonies.     Check out the latest jobs in ZK at the ZK Podca

In this episode, Anna Rose and Tarun Chitra catch up with Kostas Kryptos from Mysten Labs to explore the latest ZK innovations being built on Sui. Kostas shares updates on zkLogin and introduces zkAt (ZK Authenticator), a new research project enabling programmable and updatable access control for accounts where Groth16's trusted setup and the generated toxic waste is used in a very novel way.  This discussion also covers Sui's ambitious plans to become quantum-ready, including their innovative approach to transitioning existing EdDSA accounts to post-quantum security using STARKs without requiring users to change their addresses. They touch on ZK Tunnels, working with the Greek stock market, and how ZK is breaking out of the  web2/web3 paradigm. Related links: Episode 257: Proof of Solvency with Kostas Chalkias Episode 302: ZK for web2 interop with zkLogin & ZK Email Episode 363: Bringing ZK to Google Wallet with Abhi and Matteo Zero-knowledge Authenticator for Blockchain: Policy-private and Ob

In this episode, Anna sits down with David Wong from zkSecurity to discuss the impact of AI on the field of zero-knowledge auditing. David shares how his team is integrating AI agents into their workflow, the opportunities and challenges this brings, and how the role of the human auditor is evolving as AI becomes more capable. They also cover the unique aspects of auditing ZK-based systems, how this is different from smart contract auditing, and the broader implications of AI for security in cryptography and blockchain. The conversation touches on the ethical considerations of AI in security, the future of the auditing profession, and the ways ZK and AI are increasingly intersecting. Related links: Episode 290: Exploring, Teaching and Auditing ZK with David Wong Episode 76: Sean Bowe on SNARKs, Trusted Setups & Elliptic Curve Cryptography Proof is in the Pudding Session 04: Lattice-Based SNARKs and Post-Quantum Cryptography Fiat-Crypto: Synthesizing Correct-by-Construction Code for Cryptographi

In this episode, Anna and Nico speak with Abhi Shelat and Matteo Frigo from Google about their work integrating zero-knowledge proofs into the Google Wallet. They discuss the technical decisions behind the Anonymous Credentials for ECDSA system, including the challenge of designing a proof system where proving must be efficient enough to run on the client device in a large-scale consumer application, and how they design a system using sumcheck and Ligero to overcome NTT issues. The conversation also touches on the process of standardization, the return of ZK to its privacy roots, and the broader significance of seeing advanced cryptography adopted by a major tech company outside the blockchain space. Links: Episode 303: A Dive into Binius with Jim Posen Anonymous credentials from ECDSA libZK: a zero-knowledge proof library European Digital Identity FFTW Doubly-Efficient zkSNARKs Without Trusted Setup Ligero: Lightweight Sublinear Arguments Without a Trusted Setup Everything provable is prov

In this episode, Anna speaks with Madhavan (Maddy) Malolan from Reclaim Protocol about his work on zkTLS and its applications in web data verification. Maddy shares the journey of building Reclaim, from initial attempts at implementing DECO to developing their current proxy-based solution. The conversation explores the technical challenges of implementing zero-knowledge proofs for HTTPS connections, comparing proxy and MPC approaches, and discussing security considerations. Maddy explains how Reclaim is bringing ZK technology to mainstream applications, focusing on three key verticals: education verification, employment history, and financial background checks. Related links: Episode 353: Making ZK More Human with ZK Email TLSNotary DECO: Liberating Web Data Using Decentralized Oracles for TLS Proxying is Enough: Security of Proxying in TLS Oracles and AEAD Context Unforgeability     Register for ZK Hack Berlin happening 20 - 22 June!     **If you like what we do:** *

There’s no interview this week, but we have some ad spot availability coming up! If you want to reach a highly technical ZK audience and get eyes on your project, tooling, hiring, and more, get in touch at sponsorships@zeroknowledge.fm. If you would like to donate individually to the show, our eth address is here: 0xE2C080047213C1d8cDf2099E0B07479C5D9cee8a

In this episode, Anna and Nico speak with Matthew Klein and Albert Garreta from Nethermind about their work implementing and advancing lattice-based cryptography systems, particularly focusing on folding schemes and their applications in zero-knowledge proofs. Matthew and Albert share insights from their implementation of LatticeFold and discuss the evolution of lattice-based systems, including newer developments like LatticeFold+ and Neo. The conversation explores the unique challenges and opportunities of working with lattice-based constructions, from performance optimizations to post-quantum security considerations. They also dive into their work on post-quantum signatures for Ethereum, light zkML solutions, and the Zinc project, which offers a novel approach to handling integer-based constraints in zero-knowledge proofs. Related links: Episode 359: Lattice-based ZK Systems with Vadim Lyubashevsky Episode 293: Exploring Security of ZK Systems with Nethermind’s Michał & Albert Episode 277: Nova

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-protec

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 &nbs

This week, Anna speaks with Lasha Antadze, co-founder of Rarilabs and Rarimo, about the evolution of digital identity systems. Lasha shares his journey from working with government eID systems to building decentralized identity solutions using zero-knowledge proofs. The conversation explores how Rarimo is taking a fundamentally different approach to identity verification by keeping all processing client-side, from passport scanning to biometric verification. This enables new use cases like censorship-resistant voting systems and privacy-preserving account recovery, while avoiding the traditional pitfalls of centralized identity providers. The discussion also covers the challenges of building trust in cryptographic systems, the potential applications of client-side ZK proofs for AI governance, and how Rarimo is working to make identity tools that are both powerful and accessible to everyday users. This episode provides a fascinating look at how zero-knowledge proofs are reshaping our understanding of digital

In this episode, Anna and Guillermo speak with Professor Jelena Vučković from Stanford's Nanoscale and Quantum Photonics Lab about the fascinating world of quantum engineering. Jelena explains different quantum technology platforms and how quantum entanglement serves as the foundation for various applications such as eavesdropping detection. They explore how researchers are developing chip-scale quantum systems and the significant implications these technologies have for secure communication and cryptography.   Related links: Episode 288: Quantum Cryptography with Or Sattath WHIR: Reed–Solomon Proximity Testing with Super-Fast Verification BB84: Quantum cryptography: Public key distribution and coin tossing BBM92: Quantum Cryptography Without Bell's Theorem Stanford Nanoscale Quantum Photonics Group Github Stanford Nanoscale and Quantum Photonics Lab Photonics: Practical & Optimized: A Talk by Jelena Accelerator that fits on a chip work by Jelena     Spots for zkSum

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

In this episode Anna dives back into the topic of prover networks & prover marketplaces with Norbert Vadas, Head of Product at ZkCloud.  They kick off by mapping out different actors in the ZK supply chain, and then cover the variety of approaches and economic models behind prover marketplaces. They explore the ZkCloud system before diving into Norbert’s perspective on the future of large-scale, industrial-grade ZK proving and what that will unlock. Related links: ZKV ZK Hack Kraków Mina Snarketplace Mina: What are SNARK workers and the Snarketplace Gevulot ZkCloud EthCC Paris: Toghrul Maharramov - Multi-Verifiers as a Hedge Against Bridge Vulnerabilities RISC Zero Bonsai Polygon zkEVM GitHub: Aztec Protocol Barretenberg ZK11: SNARK proving ASICs - Justin Drake     Applications for zkSummit13 are now open, early bird tickets close this week! Apply now at www.zksummit.com.     ZK is finally easy with Noir, the fastest-growing zero-knowledge programming

This week, we present the third installment in the Zero Knowledge Systems story. In this episode, Anna chats with Austin Hill, one of the original founders of Zero Knowledge Systems. They explore the company’s early days, Austin’s background in tech, and what this scene in Montreal was like in the late ’90s. The conversation covers fundraising during the dot-com boom, Zero Knowledge Systems’s ambitious vision for internet privacy, its flagship product Freedom, and how the company pivoted from a broad individual privacy mission to a more focused B2B approach. They cover Austin’s journey after ZKS—including how he discovered Bitcoin, co-founded Blockstream, and navigated the challenges of building a business around open-source infrastructure. He also discusses a new project he's involved in, which ventures into a completely different field—material nanotechnology. We encourage you to check out the first two episodes of the series here and here before diving into this one.   Related links: Part 1: B

This week Anna catches up with Aayush Gupta from ZK Email, covering the latest developments and real-world applications of the ZK Email protocol. They explore how the project serves as a bridge between Web2 systems and Web3 infrastructure and go on to discuss use cases like wallet-based account recovery, anonymous reputation-based communication, and digital provenance verification. This was an exploration of novel ZK use cases, which is something we love to cover - so we hope you enjoy it! Related links: ZK Email Website ZKP2P with Brian & Richard Modular Summit 3.0 Panel: ZK Applications ZK12: Future of ZK Applications with Anna & Friends ZK for web2 interop with zkLogin & ZK Email ZK Email: Making Airdrops More Human     Applications for zkSummit13 are open, spots are limited for this edition so apply soon (www.zksummit.com) if you want to join.     Missing Link are a talent team built for the Web3 era, helping projects across the ecosystem connect wit

This week Anna chats with Jeffrey Scholz, founder of RareSkills. They discuss onboarding developers into ZK and dive into RareSkills' education program via The ZK Book and their ZK bootcamps. They explore strategies for breaking down complex topics, decisions on curriculum design, tool selection, and methodologies for enabling self-sufficient learning. A great listen for the listeners who want to learn ZK and are trying to figure out how to approach the challenge. Related links: RareSkills Website ZK HACK Website ZK HACK Whiteboard Sessions RareSkills ZK Book Jeffrey Scholz on Medium Jeffrey Scholz’s course on Udemy Consensys Bootcamp in 2021 Encode Club ZK Podcast Episode 309 - ZK Jargon Decoder with Nico Mohnblatt video ZK HACK - Thaler Book Study Group Playlist on YouTube The MoonMath Manual to zk-SNARKs by Least Authority     Applications for zkSummit13 are now open, spots are limited for this edition so apply soon (www.zksummit.com) if you want to join.   &

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 A

This week Anna and Tarun chat with Mert Mumtaz. Mert is the co-founder and CEO of Helius and is known for his contributions to the Solana ecosystem. They explore Mert’s background, his entry into the space, and his experiences during the 2022 market downturn and subsequent recovery. The conversation covers Solana’s positioning within the broader blockchain landscape and includes an overview of emerging ZK projects in the ecosystem. Related links: Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Its Applications on Solana Episode 135 - Look into Solana Solana projects mentioned: Backpack, Anza, Gido, Jupiter  ZK projects mentioned: Phantom, Elusiv, Light Protocol, Dark Protocol  Solana Token Extensions --------------- 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 *

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,

This week, Anna and Nico chat with Andrew Lu and Vivek Bhupatiraju from Cursive.  They map out the timeline of their in-person activations and experiments using programmable cryptography, which they have been running since late 2023. By quickly developing small applications and products to test with real users, they have gathered tangible data about these innovations at various live conferences worldwide, including our own flagship events, zkSummit11 and zkSummit12. They share the challenges and insights gained from these experimental products. Additionally, they share the concepts that inspired their innovations, such as digital pheromones and narrowcasting. Related links: Zupass ZK for web2 interop with zkLogin & ZK Email  Cursive ETH Denver Building cryptographic apps for human connection - Vivek Bhupatiraju & Andrew Lu Phantom Zone GitHub Frontiers by Paradigm  --------------- Applications for zkSummit13 are now open, spots are limited for this edition so >> apply soon &