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.

Keep reading

Latest

Circom-Auditor: Open-Source Skills for Finding Vulnerabilities in Circom Code

We are releasing zk-skills, a set of open-source security skills for AI coding agents, starting with circom-auditor: a first line of defense against vulnerabilities in Circom circuits, compatible with both Claude Code and Codex. On the zkbugs benchmark it detects up to 66 of 70 known bugs when pointed at the vulnerable circuits, and up to 40 of 56 when let loose on the full original codebases, far ahead of existing Circom security tools.

Stefanos Chaliasos, Hao Pham, False Witness Team · August 05, 2026

Variants of KZG: Part III, Multilinear Commitments with Zeromorph

In this blog post, we extend univariate KZG commitments to multilinear polynomials through Zeromorph. We introduce the univariatization map, encode the multilinear quotient identity as a univariate identity, and explain why the quotient encodings require degree checks. We then show how Zeromorph batches these checks into a single degree-bounded KZG opening and walk through its end-to-end opening protocol. We conclude by examining its proof size, prover cost, and verifier cost.

Varun Thakore · August 04, 2026

Variants of KZG: Part II, Multilinear Commitments with PST

In this blog post, we extend the ideas behind univariate KZG commitments to multilinear polynomials through the PST commitment scheme. We derive the multilinear quotient identity, explain how PST commits to and opens multilinear polynomials using a specialized multilinear setup and walk through its opening protocol. We conclude by examining the proof size, prover and verifier costs, and the limitations that motivate other multilinear polynomial commitment schemes.

Varun Thakore · July 28, 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

ZNARKs: SNARKs for The Integers

Hey there! Interested in learning about SNARKs that work beyond finite fields? We’ve been diving into $\mathbb{Z}$NARKs, which are SNARKs tailored for computations involving integers. Our latest post unpacks this intriguing area, showing how we can construct efficient proof systems for integer-based computations. You'll discover nifty tricks like range checks without bit decomposition and mixed field emulation, plus how these techniques can simplify RSA computations. Intrigued by the idea of using randomness for more reliable proofs or exploring an intellectual curiosity like $\mathbb{Q}$-circuits? This post covers it all, including a peek into the future of polynomial commitments. Dive in and explore with us!

Mathias Hall-Andersen · November 11, 2024

Public report of Lighter ZK circuits

We recently teamed up with Lighter to dive deep into their custom ZK circuits used for a verifiable orderbook matching on a Layer 2 exchange. Our findings show solid and well-structured code, thanks to their cooperative engineering team. The post gives a fascinating look into how Lighter’s ZK rollup ensures valid state transitions on Layer 1 through zero-knowledge proofs and the innovative structure of their order book matching process. It explains the roles of the main operation and exit hatch circuits, while also touching on how users can exit in emergencies. It's a great read if you're curious about how these systems maintain security and efficiency in decentralized finance.

ZK/SEC · April 24, 2024

Public report of Darkfi circuits and crypto audit

In February 2024, we dived into a security audit of Darkfi's built-in contracts and circuits, putting them under the microscope to ensure everything checks out. Curious to know what we discovered while navigating the public Darkfi repository? Check out our full report for insights and findings.

ZK/SEC · February 27, 2024