ZKID: Revealing a new chapter in privacy security empowering digital identity

Once upon a time, maintaining one’s identity was a relatively simple matter; Necessary documents such as passports and birth certificates are kept in safe custody and shared face-to-face when needed. However, as the digital realm becomes our new territory, and as we enjoy the convenience of virtual identity verification, we are discovering that the convenience and accessibility of centralized data systems comes with complex issues and fragmentation, which presents users with a tricky choice: should privacy and security be sacrificed for convenience and accessibility?

Initially, the idea of centralizing our data was intended to simplify the process, but it inadvertently made us more vulnerable. The data is stored centrally in a digital database, which becomes a magnet for hackers. This has led to a chaotic online environment with constant data breaches and making it a reality for third parties to take control of our personal information, which is often stolen, traded, and misused. As the field of zero-knowledge technology advances, it becomes feasible to regain control of digital identities by strategically implementing award-winning solutions that combine decentralized identifiers (DIDs) with zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs). **

Challenge the Routine with ZKP

ZK is a concept in the field of cryptography that focuses on verifying the validity of information. It enables one party to prove to the other that they have certain private information without exposing it. This is achieved by providing evidence that the information meets certain conditions while protecting additional details.

In the context of establishing an identity, the process of verification seems fairly straightforward. This happens when we provide our identity to an outside party to confirm certain information, such as the legal age requirement for purchasing alcohol in the United States is 21. However, the real complication lies in ensuring that only the specific information we wish to reveal is shared, because whenever someone checks our ID to confirm our age, they inadvertently obtain a lot of extra personal data, including our date of birth, residential address, and other sensitive information. This situation requires us to rethink the way we authenticate to address this challenge.

ZK cryptography has allowed us to revolutionize the traditional “trust and assume” model to a “verify and trust” paradigm. In this new framework, trust is no longer taken for granted, but is gradually acquired through the verification of assertions. Individuals can now substantiate their claims, such as age, nationality, or other proof of identity, without revealing sensitive information.

Absolute anonymity may not always align with the actual goal of effectively utilizing digital identity. At this time, the concept of selective disclosure, with the help of ZK technology, becomes particularly critical. While the default configuration emphasizes total privacy, we must recognize that privacy operates on a contiguous scale, and users should have the ability to disclose only relevant information as needed.

Who’s building digital identities with ZK?

Polygon ID

Polygon ID represents a self-governing identity solution that incorporates ZKPs to establish default privacy settings. By adopting the Circom ZK Toolkit, it enables the creation of zero-knowledge cryptographic structures, specifically zkSNARKs circuits, simplifying complexity and increasing efficiency.

At the heart of Polygon ID is three key modules: identity holders, issuers, and validators, all three of which are collectively referred to as the “Trust Triangle” by Polygon.

1. Identity holder: The entity responsible for securing claims in their digital wallet. The issuer issues a verifiable credential (VC) to the identity holder. Subsequently, the identity bearer is responsible for generating ZKPs for the VCs they receive and submitting these proofs to the validator. The role of the verifier is to verify the authenticity of the proof and check that it meets pre-set standards.
2. Issuer: The entity (individual or organization) responsible for issuing VCs to identity holders. The issuer adds cryptographic signatures to the VCs, and it’s worth noting that each VC is produced by a specific issuer.
3. Validator: Responsible for verifying the proof submitted by the identity holder. Validators initiate a request for holders to provide proof based on the VC stored in their digital wallet. During the verification process, the validator conducts a series of assessments, such as confirming that the VC is signed by the intended issuer and ensuring that the VC meets specific criteria set by the validator.

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Image courtesy of Polygon ID

With zero-knowledge proofs to verify state transitions, Polygon ID achieves two key goals: maintaining the integrity of the identity state and preventing unauthorized modifications. This approach establishes a robust mechanism to ensure the privacy and security of identity state transitions. **

Earthquake

Sismo is a platform that leverages zero-knowledge proofs and privacy-preserving technologies to give users greater control over their personal data. At the heart of Sismo’s innovative solution is Sismo Connect, a Privacy Center alternative to traditional non-sovereign single sign-on (SSO) systems like Sign in with Google, or restricted options like Sign in with Ethereum.

Sismo Connect enables applications to request access to user data without having to touch sensitive personal information directly. By leveraging Sismo Connect, users can consolidate their identities in a vault, a secure, encrypted repository for storing personal data collected from various Web2 and Web3 sources, including credentials and attestations.

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Image courtesy of Sismo

In a vault, users can securely store separate units of data called data gems that contain important aspects of their digital identity. These data gemstones can include records from registers, platform contributions, or specific demographic information. The vault acts as a private and impenetrable repository, ensuring that users have full ownership and control over their integrated digital identities.

By leveraging Sismo’s communication protocol, users can confirm their ownership of data gems by generating zero-knowledge proofs. These proof-based verification methods enable users to confirm their control over specific data without revealing sensitive information, ensuring a high level of privacy throughout the process. Applications tightly integrated with Sismo Connect are able to accept and validate these proofs, giving users the power to reveal their data gems in an unobtrusive way, while protecting the confidentiality of relevant data sources.

For developers, integrating Sismo Connect into their applications provides access to a wide range of user data from Web2 and Web3 sources. By integrating Sismo Connect, applications can enhance their capabilities, including access management, reputation integration, and personalized user experience, while protecting users’ privacy through selective disclosure.

ZPass by Aleo

zPass is a Privacy Center credential protocol recently launched by Aleo on October 25 and is built on the Aleo blockchain. This solution has been carefully designed to leverage ZK cryptography as a versatile tool to adapt to the ever-changing regulatory environment. The primary goal of the system is to provide robust validation while limiting data exposure to current and potential future regulatory standards.

With zPass, individuals and organizations alike are able to securely store identity documents on private devices and services without the need for an online connection. Subsequently, they can share these anonymous “proofs” to verify the underlying data of the relevant institutions. This approach dramatically simplifies the regulatory compliance and cybersecurity challenges typically associated with direct data storage.

Users have the autonomy to generate these certificates independently, without the need to modify or cooperate with the identity issuing authority. This gives users precise control over what information they share and with whom, ensuring that only the personal data necessary for verification is revealed.

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Image courtesy of Aleo

As an example, imagine a scenario where a user wants to use their passport to confirm their identity in order to access a specific online service. With zPass, users can independently process and verify passport data locally. The end result is a binary true/false result and a ZKP that confirms the accuracy of the result without exposing the actual file.

zPass makes it easy to embed established credentials, such as passports, into the Aleo blockchain as verifiable evidence. This is achieved through Aleo’s ability to execute procedures that generate proofs directly on the user’s device, all by leveraging WebAssembly (WASM). This approach ensures that sensitive data is protected in a secure, on-premises environment.

zkSBT by Manta Network

Manta Network’s zero-knowledge Soulbond Token (zkSBT) is at the forefront of privacy and security, outperforming the traditional Soulbond Token (SBT), which is a non-transferable digital identity token that is stored on the blockchain. zkSBT utilizes zero-knowledge proofs to facilitate secure and confidential minting while protecting the privacy of ownership. These tokens can be adapted to a variety of blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain, and more, while maintaining their privacy features within Manta Network’s ecosystem. Verification is achieved through Proof Keys, eliminating the need to disclose wallet details, making verification seamless.

zkSBTs are closely linked to zkAddress, and they serve as a reusable and transparent destination for confidential assets within the Manta Network. Each zkSBT is associated with a specific zkAddress, allowing multiple zkSBTs to co-exist under a single zkAddress. The inclusion of metadata, including profile pictures, AI-generated images, and social relationship data, within the zkSBT provides exceptional flexibility.

Manta Network has introduced a key technology called Proof Key. It enables users to confirm their identity and zkSBT ownership on the blockchain without relying on wallet signatures. This innovation simplifies mobile app integration and opens the door to a variety of authentication scenarios. These include protecting the privacy of profile pictures, making on-chain transactions without revealing address details, verifying ownership of in-game items, and secure access to decentralized social graph information.

Worldcoin

In the Worldcoin ecosystem, World ID is a global identity protocol that is driven by two key technologies. These technologies enable individuals to digitally confirm their individuality and humanity while protecting their privacy. The foundational components of this system, including ZKP and Semaphore, are a general-purpose, open-source privacy layer based on zk-SNARKs technology for Ethereum applications. The system relies on a strong Proof of Personality (PoP) credential, verified by an advanced biometric imaging device called The Orb. This synergy enables individuals to digitally verify their unique identity and humanity.

Whenever a user uses their World ID, ZKP comes into play to verify their unique human identity. This means that no third party will have access to the user’s World ID or wallet public key, making cross-app tracking impossible. Importantly, it guarantees that the use of World ID is completely independent of any form of biometric data or iris code. The basic principle is that when you’re trying to establish your unique human identity, you should be able to do so without having to reveal any personal information about yourself, such as name, email address, social profiles, etc.

The following outlines the process of verifying World ID registration, enabling users to establish their unique human identity without revealing personal information.

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Image courtesy of Worldcoin

The main goal of the project is to verify the uniqueness of humans through encrypted on-chain iris scans in order to curb the proliferation of robots and artificial intelligence. If necessary, a ZKP is generated to verify the identity. Despite this, Worldcoin has faced scrutiny from community members who are concerned about the privacy, ethical considerations, and security risks associated with storing biometric data. Despite the project’s criticism, as of October 2023, more than 2.3 million World IDs have been registered, covering more than 100 countries.

Summary

In an ever-evolving digital landscape, ZKP is becoming increasingly important. ZKP paves the way for the future of identity verification, ensuring that user privacy is respected. The main obstacle for decentralized authentication solutions using ZK technology is the fragmentation of data across various blockchain networks. There is currently no universally interoperable solution that enables users to seamlessly use their identities across networks, which limits the use of DIDs within each blockchain.

However, DID technology that leverages ZK is gaining traction and attracting the attention of industry leaders. As the Web3 space continues to expand, we find ourselves on the verge of a possible industry breakthrough. Companies like Sismo are working to bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3. PolygonID appears to have the necessary technology and broad market access to make it a catalyst for DIDs.

As technology continues to evolve and our understanding of ZKP deepens, we can expect digital identity verification based on ZK technology to be more widely used, enhancing the security and privacy of our online interactions, and laying a solid foundation for a safer and more confidential digital future.