Mastering Blockchain - Second Edition

Zero-Knowledge Proofs

Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) were introduced by Goldwasser, Micali, and Rackoff in 1985. These proofs are used to prove the validity of an assertion without revealing any information whatsoever about the assertion. There are three properties of ZKPs that are required: completeness, soundness, and zero-knowledge property.

Completeness ensures that if a certain assertion is true, then the verifier will be convinced of this claim by the prover. The soundness property makes sure that if an assertion is false, then no dishonest prover can convince the verifier otherwise. The zero-knowledge property, as the name implies, is the key property of ZKPs whereby it is ensured that absolutely nothing is revealed about the assertion ...