Zero-knowledge proofs
Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs) are a type of cryptographic protocol that allows one party (the Prover) to demonstrate to another party (the Verifier) that they possess knowledge of a particular piece of information, without revealing any other information about that knowledge. The concept of zero knowledge was first introduced by Goldwasser, Micali, and Rackoff in 1985. Since then, zero-knowledge protocols have been widely used in cryptography, particularly in privacy-preserving protocols.
Basic concepts
The concept of zero knowledge is based on the idea of interactive proof systems. In an interactive proof system, a Prover tries to convince a Verifier that a statement is true by sending a series of messages to the Verifier. The Verifier examines each message and either accepts or rejects the statement. In a zero-knowledge proof, the Prover can convince the Verifier of the truth of the statement without revealing any other information beyond the fact that...