ZKP for Dummies: A Secret Code for Secure Online Testing and Anonymous Betting
Imagine you're a student and you want to take a test online, but the teacher wants to make sure you're not cheating by having someone else take the test for you. You use something called zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) to prove to the teacher that you are the one taking the test, without revealing any personal information such as your name or address.
Think of ZKP as a secret code. You and the teacher agree on a secret code that only the two of you know. You use this code to turn your identity into a math problem. Then, you use math to create a proof that shows the teacher it's you taking the test without revealing any personal information.
The teacher, being a mathematical algorithm, will check your math and see that it's you taking the test. They'll let you take the test without knowing your personal information. This is similar to how you prove your identity to a bank teller without revealing your social security number.
Another example, Imagine you're a soccer fan and you want to place a bet on the match between Haaland and Kevin De Bruyne, but you don't want the bookie to know which player you're placing your bet on, as you fear they may adjust the odds. Zero-knowledge proof (ZKP) allows you to prove to the bookie that you're betting on one of the players, without revealing which player you're betting on.
Using ZKP is like having a secret code that only you and the bookie know. You use this code to convert your bet into a mathematical problem and then use math to create a proof that shows the bookie you're betting on one of the players without revealing which player you're betting on. The bookie, being a mathematical algorithm, will check the proof and accept your bet without knowing which player you're betting on. This is similar to how you can purchase a stock without revealing which stock you're buying.
ZKP allows you to prove something without revealing unnecessary information, and it's like a secret code that only you and the verifier know.