announcement · zk

Listen to us on the latest episode of zeroknowledge.fm

ZK/SEC August 30, 2023 1 min

zkpodcast

Our cofounder David Wong was this week's guest on the zk podcast. Listen to him talk about crypto and zksecurity here.

This week, Anna and Guillermo chat with David Wong, author of the Real-World Cryptography book, and a cofounder zksecurity.xyz – an auditing firm focused on Zero Knowledge technology.

They chat about what first got him interested in cryptography, his early work as a security consultant, his work on the Facebook crypto project and the Mina project, zksecurity.xyz, auditing techniques and their efficacy in a ZK context, what common bugs are found in ZK code, and much more.

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Latest

Variants of KZG: Part V, Multilinear Commitments with Mercury

In this final post of the series, we extend univariate KZG commitments to multilinear polynomials through Mercury. Building on Gemini, we fold half of the variables at once, use polynomial division to bind this large fold to the original commitment and reduce the remaining multilinear evaluations to a batched inner product check. We then walk through the end-to-end opening protocol. We conclude by examining its proof size, prover cost and verifier cost.

Varun Thakore · August 17, 2026

Variants of KZG: Part IV, Multilinear Commitments with Gemini

In this blog post, we extend univariate KZG commitments to multilinear polynomials through Gemini. We introduce recursive partial evaluations, derive the split-and-fold identity and express each fold as a univariate identity that can be checked using KZG openings. We then walk through the end-to-end opening protocol. We conclude by examining its proof size, prover cost, and verifier cost.

Varun Thakore · August 12, 2026

Optimizing Cryptography with AI

Many of us are using AI to generate code. Vibe coding cryptography is especially sensitive - you have to uphold strict mathematical correctness. This can lead to wrong security guarantees and soundness bugs. We will discuss what are some patterns to do it well.

Kobi Gurkan · August 11, 2026

Recommended

The State of Security Tools for ZKPs

Zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) have come a long way from theory to real-world applications like blockchains and private transactions. We’ve been busy auditing various ZKP implementations and developing tools to improve circuit safety and security. In this blog post, we’ll explore how vulnerabilities can crop up in SNARK systems and the current state of tools designed to spot these issues. From circuit bugs to the often-overlooked frontend and backend layers, we cover how various analysis techniques and formal verification approaches are evolving to ensure robust ZKP systems. Dive in to discover the potential and current challenges in ZKP security!

ZK/SEC · June 02, 2024

ZK programmability adds a whole new layer to worry about

Zero-knowledge (ZK) programs are revolutionizing how developers can build secure systems by proving execution without exposing data, making them incredibly useful for privacy and security. However, they come with their own set of challenges. In this blog, we delve into these security implications and offer practical strategies to help developers navigate the risks. From understanding private inputs to the intricacies of proof systems and trusted setups, we unpack the complexities and provide insights on how to address potential pitfalls, ensuring you're well-prepared to harness the power of ZK programs effectively.

David Wong · May 31, 2023

On ZK Security, ZK Summit, and a Decade of Progress

On May 7th, we'll be in Rome sponsoring zkSummit14. A look back at a decade of progress in zero-knowledge, the current state of ZK security based on 100+ audits, and why events like zkSummit have become infrastructure for the field.

ZK/SEC · May 06, 2026

More to explore

Optimizing Barrett Reduction: Tighter Bounds Eliminate Redundant Subtractions

In this blog post, we explore an optimization for Barrett reduction, a popular method for modular arithmetic. We discovered that the error bound can be tighter than traditionally thought, meaning you often only need a single subtraction instead of two. This tweak can speed up cryptographic operations like those in the RustCrypto library by 14% when applied to NIST curves, which is a game changer for both encryption and performance. Dive into the details to see how this simple change can lead to significant improvements in real-world applications!

Suneal Gong · May 01, 2025

Comparison of formal verification frameworks for arithmetic circuits

A hands-on comparison of formal verification frameworks for arithmetic circuits, evaluating those in the ACL2 Book (r1cs, PFCS), acl2-jolt, Garden (Rocq), zk-lean, sp1-lean, and Clean. Each framework is tested on reproducibility, available examples (from basic field elements to RISC-V VM instructions), and practical verification tasks including the IsZero and weighted-sum circuits. The evaluation includes both human and Claude Code's ability to work with each framework, revealing insights about installation difficulty, proof automation capabilities, and the maturity of publicly available examples. This post maps the current landscape of formally verified ZK circuits and discusses what's coming next in this rapidly evolving field.

Yoichi Hirai · November 19, 2025

Encrypted Mempools: Security Beyond Encryption

Encrypted mempools are an emerging approach to reducing transaction-ordering MEV. They are not just normal mempools with encryption added on top: they introduce a new security boundary around the exact moment a transaction becomes plaintext. This post explains the security model, the core invariant, and the subtle failure modes protocol designers need to consider.

Suneal Gong · May 07, 2026