Efficient Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Theory and Practice

Speaker: Jiaheng Zhang
         University of California, Berkeley

Title:  "Efficient Zero-Knowledge Proofs: Theory and Practice"

Date:   Monday, 20 March 2023

Time:   10:00am - 11:00am HKT

Zoom link:
https://hkust.zoom.us/j/465698645?pwd=aVRaNWs2RHNFcXpnWGlkR05wTTk3UT09

Meeting ID: 465 698 645
Passcode: 20222023


Abstract:

In this talk, we discuss a cryptographic tool named zero-knowledge proof
from both theory and application perspectives. In theory,  we present
Libra, the first zero-knowledge protocol with optimal prover time, fast
verifier time, and succinct proof size. Libra also has excellent concrete
efficiency in practice. In application, we present the first solution for
building trustless and permissionless cross-chain bridges in blockchains
using zero-knowledge proof. In addition, we discuss how to apply
zero-knowledge to machine learning and make the protocol practical to
guarantee the integrity of machine learning models by the example of the
decision tree model. These applied ZKP protocols have rigorous security
guarantees along with practical efficiency.


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Biography:

Jiaheng is a final-year Ph.D. student in Computer Science at UC Berkeley,
where he is advised by Prof. Dawn Song. He also works closely with Prof.
Yupeng Zhang. And he is a member of RISE Lab, Initiative for
Cryptocurrencies & Contracts Lab (IC3), and Berkeley AI Research (BAIR).
His research interests lie in security, privacy and applied cryptography,
especially zero-knowledge proof and applications on blockchains and
machine learning. Before coming to Berkeley, he received his Bachelor's
degree in ACM Honors Class of Shanghai Jiao Tong University. During his
undergraduate, he was also a research intern at Cornell, advised by Prof.
Elaine Shi. He has interned at Meta crypto research, NTT research, Qizhi
research institute and Alibaba. He received the Facebook Fellowship in
Security and Privacy in 2021.