zk-STARK is short for “zero-knowledge scalable transparent argument of knowledge.” It was developed by Eli-Ben Sasson, a professor at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology.
Understanding about zk-STARK
zk-STARK stands for “zero-knowledge scalable transparent argument of knowledge.” It was developed by Eli-Ben Sasson, a professor at the Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Unlike zk-SNARKs, which need a trusted setup between a prover and a verifier, zk-STARKs don’t require this initial setup because they use simpler cryptography based on collision-resistant hash functions. This method also removes the number-theoretic assumptions found in zk-SNARKs, which can be costly and theoretically vulnerable to quantum attacks.
In layman’s terms, zk-STARK proofs offer a more straightforward structure regarding cryptographic assumptions. However, there’s a major downside: their proof sizes are significantly larger, typically 10 to 100 times that of zk-SNARKs. This substantial difference in size can make them more costly and may limit their use in transmitting data for cryptocurrencies and other applications.
Zero-knowledge proofs are commonly used in scenarios where privacy and security are crucial. A good example is identity verification. When using certain online services, you often need to prove your identity to access those platforms. This usually involves sharing personal details like your name, email, birth date, and more.
Zero-knowledge proofs can make authentication easier for both users and platforms. After generating a zk-proof with public inputs (data that verifies the user’s membership) and private inputs (the user’s personal details), the user can simply show this proof to verify their identity whenever they want to access the service. This enhances the user experience and relieves organizations from the burden of storing large amounts of personal data.
Conclusion
zk-STARK proofs have a more straightforward structure regarding cryptographic assumptions. But, this new tech has at least one significant downside: the proofs are larger compared to zk-SNARKs. The difference in data size could create some limitations based on how it’s used, but it’s likely something that can be worked out as the technology gets more testing and exploration.