Zk-SNARKs

The abbreviation Zk-SNARK stands for “Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge”. A zk-SNARK is a type of cryptographic proof that enables one party to demonstrate that it is in possession of specific data without divulging that data. A secret key established before the transaction occurs is used to enable this proof. It is a component of the Zcash cryptocurrency protocol.

The cryptocurrency Zcash uses this evidence, which was first created and published in the late 1980s, to address what is thought to be an anonymity issue with blockchains of the Bitcoin type. The first “trust system” configuration used in Zk-SNARK proofs has been criticized as having an inherent security weakness.