Steemit Crypto Academy Contest / S12W6 - Privacy is important

Cordial greetings to esteemed steemian friends

How are you doing, i am good. Today i am going to explore my knowledge about the given topic Steemit Crypto Academy Contest / S12W6 - Privacy is important. I would try to explain it upto my best knowledge.

Source

What is Zero Knowledge Protocol (ZKP)? Give your own opinion and explain an example.

Its quite unique concept in which a users confirms another users thats he knows absolute values without revealing any additional information its called zero knowledge proof.

Now in this proctocol, the prover definitely proof that he or she knew the z value to the verifies, he doesn't give him other information more than the fact because he knows the z value.

The main concept of this protocol is to not revealing any extra information but to understand the z value only without telling what is in the z value. ( Here z could be meaning anything).

Is it seems little tough to understand? Well, it’s not so difficult.

Well for more clear understanding, when a user wanted to proof any statement he must knew about the not revealing secret information. In this the verifier may not be able to depend on information to any other users until he knew the secret information.

The protocol of zero knowledge consist of three properties.

Completeness

In cae if the statement is realty based then of course both users following the rules, moreover the verifier will be satisfied convinced without asking or using artificial help source.

Soundness

If the situation arise the statement considered false, then the verifier will not be satisfied in any circumstances, in this technique the probabilistically is to check in order to be ensure the chance of falsehood is equal to zero or not.

Zero-knowledge

The situation in which verifier will not know any additional information.

For example the color blind friend and two balls, The balls is red and green and of equal size. Well the friend thinks that they are the same and is doubtful about the statement that they are different.

Well i have to prove that they are of different colors without revelaing her which is which one. I have given her the ball and she keeps it to hide behind her back. After that, she take out a ball at random and lets i see it.

Then again she puts that ball back and chooses the ball again at random. Se will ask from me either she switched the ball or not. She will have repeated this process for some times to be sure. So, after repeat this process and when i am able to answer each time correct, my friend would be convinced.

What is the ZK-SNARK protocol? Give your own opinion.

The ZK-SNARKS based on non-interactive zero knowledge proof. In fact it use the form of cryptography in order to ensure greater privacy.

So its the first acronym which is based on Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge.

The ZK-SNARKS has different algorithms which are as follows.

Key Generator

The main function of key generator is to set a parameters for generations of a key pair. Then with the help of trusted source which generate a private or public key pair and finally it destroyed the private part.

In the next step with the help of public part can generate another key pair. Hence, one will be available to provide another for verification.

Prover: Now, the prove take the proving key with the help of public input to prove his knowledge. Definitely, he would be witnessing secrestly and satisfied the statement to proof his point.

Verifier: In this step verifer will require the verification key to ensure the context is real or false. With the help of the public input and the prove to evaluated either it’s true or false.

The ZK-SNARKS also maintain following parameters.

The verifier follow the would fact that the given context is true.

The challenge should be very small so that it can be excuted in the few milliseconds.

As the user will be sent the statement for the verificatio nothing else is sent. The Verifier can not enable to interact with the prover.

The prover will holding the soundness of zero knowledge encryption. Its bounded on the basis of polynomial-time.

So with the help of ZK-SNARKS the process of transaction is done secrestly its more secured with encryption.

How does the ZK-SNARK work and is it possible to adapt it to the Steem Blockchain? Give your own opinion.

As its mentioned above ZK-SNARKS working based on non-interactive zero knowledge proof. Furthermore, it used the form of cryptography in order to ensure greater privacy and scalablity.

If we discuss about the Blockchains consist of lists of records that are manage by multiple and collective distributed parties. Every party can holds a copy of given list. Moreover, blockchain permits all parties to visualise the transactions it means there is no privacy or anonymity.

While in case of Zero-knowledge proofs prrmits only privacy and confidential transactions to be post by the blockchain; thus ensure a stble means to proof that the transaction was carried out safely without letting reveal the secretly information that being used in the transaction process such as address or amounts.

So, in my opinion the ZK-SNARK can be adapted in steem blockchain for processes of non-interactive transaction.

What is the difference between ZK-SNARKs and ZK-STARKs? Explain.

The ZK-SNARKs work more efficiently and fastly with their proponents, because its verification can be processed in milliseconds. Although, this efficiency accompanied by cost.

So the ZK-SNARKs depends on potential security weak link while the ZK-STARKs had more enhanced security by the non-requirement of a trusted setup. However it may take long time for verifcation and therefore regarding the least efficient

The Zk-STARKs consist of larger proof sizes than ZK-SNARKs, which obvious the process of verifying STARKs may takes longe time and be considered gas-intensive as compared to ZK-SNARKs.

While in case of proof ZK-STARKs the verification can be done without depending on external parameters.

The ZK- STARKs is quite easier to audit as compared to ZK- SNARKs although this may rely on individual implementation.

Unlike the ZK- SNARKs the ZK-STARKs based on hash functions that are based to be quantum-resistant.

Moreover, the ZK-SNARKs was initially more fastly adopted as compared toZK-STARKs although it had potential security drawbacks issues of trusted setup ceremony.

On the other hand ZK- SNARKs jad developed six years ahead of ZK-STARKs it helps a head start in for adoption.

What are the main privacy mechanisms used by the Steem Blockchain?

The Steem blockchain is based on delegated Proof-of-Stake (DPos) mechanism. It has using privacy mechanism are there. With the help of keys we can use this mechanism for example memo key is used for encryption message.

If we see the mechanism of privacy in steem block chain obviously it has privacy mechanism.

But still its in tge control of the users we can interact with others, can post and publish, see notifications, wallet of users can be easily access to others, we can see it, but no one except the account holder can access sensitive information that is private information.

Its all about my today's post, i would like to invite @sualeha, @ashkhan and @m-fdo to take part in the challenge.