Once upon a time, maintaining personal identity was a relatively simple matter; necessary documents such as passports and birth certificates were carefully stored and shared face-to-face when needed. However, as the digital realm becomes our new territory and we enjoy the convenience of virtual identity verification, we gradually discover that the convenience and accessibility of centralized data systems are accompanied by complex problems and fragmentation, presenting users with a tricky choice: should privacy and security be sacrificed for convenience and accessibility?

Initially, the idea of centralizing our data was aimed at streamlining processes, but inadvertently made us more vulnerable. Data stored centrally in digital databases became a magnet for hackers. This has led to a chaotic online environment, with constant data leaks and third parties gaining control of our personal information, which is often stolen, traded, and abused. With advancements in zero-knowledge technology, strategically implementing the acclaimed solution of combining decentralized identifiers (DIDs) with zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) makes it feasible to reclaim control over digital identity.

Challenging Conventional Methods with ZKP

ZK is a concept in the field of cryptography that focuses on verifying the validity of information. It allows one party to prove to another party that they possess certain private information without revealing that information. This is achieved by providing evidence that the information satisfies specific conditions while protecting additional details.

In the context of establishing identity, the verification process seems quite straightforward. This occurs when we provide our identity to external parties to confirm specific information, such as the legal age requirement of 21 for purchasing alcoholic beverages in the United States. However, the real complexity lies in ensuring that only the specific information we wish to disclose is shared, as every time someone checks our ID to confirm our age, they inadvertently obtain a large amount of additional personal data, including our date of birth, residential address, and other sensitive information. This situation requires us to rethink the way identity verification is approached to address this challenge.

ZK cryptography allows us to fundamentally shift from the traditional "trust and assume" model to a "verify then trust" paradigm. In this new framework, trust is no longer taken for granted but gradually earned through the verification of assertions. Individuals can now prove their own claims, such as age, nationality, or other identity-related credentials, without revealing sensitive information.

Absolute anonymity may not always align with the practical goals of effectively utilizing digital identity. This is where the concept of selective disclosure, aided by ZK technology, becomes particularly crucial. While default settings emphasize comprehensive privacy, we must recognize that privacy operates on a continuous spectrum, and users should have the ability to selectively disclose relevant information as needed.

Who is Embracing ZK for Building Digital Identity?

Polygon ID

Polygon ID represents a self-sovereign identity solution that integrates ZKPs to establish default privacy settings. By adopting the Circom ZK toolkit, it achieves the creation of zero-knowledge proof structures, particularly zkSNARKs circuits, simplifying complexity and enhancing efficiency.

The core of Polygon ID includes three key modules: identity holder, issuer, and verifier, collectively referred to as the "trust triangle" by Polygon.

1. Identity Holder: Responsible for safeguarding the entity's claims in their digital wallet. The issuer issues verifiable credentials (VC) to the identity holder. Subsequently, the identity holder is responsible for generating ZKPs for the received VCs and submitting these proofs to the verifier. The role of the verifier is to verify the authenticity of the proofs and check if they meet predefined standards.

2. Issuer: Responsible for issuing VCs to the identity holder (individual or organization). The issuer adds encrypted signatures to the VCs, and it is noteworthy that each VC is generated by a specific issuer.

3. Verifier: Responsible for verifying the proofs submitted by the identity holder. The verifier initiates requests, asking the holder to provide proofs based on the VCs stored in their digital wallet. During the verification process, the verifier conducts a series of assessments, such as confirming if the VCs are signed by the expected issuer and ensuring that the VCs meet specific standards set by the verifier.

The image is sourced from Polygon ID

Sismo

Sismo is a platform that empowers users with greater control over personal data using zero-knowledge proofs and privacy-preserving technologies. Sismo's innovative solution, Sismo Connect, is a privacy-centric alternative to traditional non-sovereign single sign-on (SSO) systems like "Sign in with Google" or restricted options like "Sign in with Ethereum."

Sismo Connect allows applications to request access to user data without directly accessing sensitive personal information. By leveraging Sismo Connect, users can integrate their identity into a data vault, a secure encrypted repository for storing personal data collected from various Web2 and Web3 sources, including various credentials and proofs.

The image is sourced from Sismo

In the data vault, users can securely store independent data units called data gems, which contain important aspects of their digital identity. These data gems can include records from registries, platform contributions, or specific demographic information. The data vault serves as a private and impregnable repository, ensuring users fully own and control their integrated digital identity.

By utilizing Sismo's communication protocol, users can confirm their ownership of data gems by generating zero-knowledge proofs. These proof-based verification methods enable users to confirm their control over specific data without revealing sensitive information, ensuring a high level of privacy protection throughout the process. Applications tightly integrated with Sismo Connect can accept and verify these proofs, empowering users to discreetly assert their authority over their data gems while safeguarding the confidentiality of relevant data sources.

For developers, integrating Sismo Connect into their applications allows access to a wide range of user data from Web2 and Web3 sources. By integrating Sismo Connect, applications can enhance their functionality, including access management, reputation integration, and personalized user experiences, while protecting user privacy through selective disclosure mechanisms.

ZPass by Aleo

zPass is a privacy-centric credential protocol recently launched by Aleo on October 25, built on the Aleo blockchain. This solution is carefully designed to leverage ZK cryptography as a versatile tool to adapt to evolving regulatory environments. The primary goal of the system is to provide robust verification while limiting data exposure to comply with current and potential future regulatory standards.

Through zPass, individuals and organizations can securely store identity documents on private devices and services without the need for online connectivity. They can then share these anonymous "proofs" to verify foundational data with relevant institutions. This approach greatly simplifies regulatory compliance and cybersecurity challenges typically associated with direct data storage.

Users have the autonomy to independently generate these proofs without modification or collaboration with identity issuing authorities. This enables users to precisely control the information they share and the recipients, ensuring that only the personal data required for verification is revealed.

Image source: Aleo

For example, imagine a scenario where a user wants to use their passport to confirm their identity to access specific online services. With zPass, users can independently process and verify passport data locally. The end result is a binary true/false outcome and a ZKP to confirm the accuracy of the result without exposing the actual document.

zPass seamlessly embeds established credentials, such as passports, as verifiable evidence on the Aleo blockchain. This is achieved through Aleo's ability to execute proof generation directly on user devices, all implemented using WebAssembly (WASM). This approach ensures the protection of sensitive data in a secure local environment.

zkSBT by Manta Network

Manta Network's zero-knowledge Soulbond Token (zkSBT) is at the forefront of privacy and security, surpassing traditional Soulbond Tokens (SBT), which are non-transferable digital identity tokens stored on the blockchain. zkSBT uses zero-knowledge proofs to facilitate secure and confidential minting while protecting ownership privacy. These tokens can be applicable across various blockchain networks, including Ethereum, Polygon, BNB Chain, while maintaining their privacy features within the Manta Network ecosystem. Verification is achieved through Proof Keys, without the need to disclose wallet details, making verification seamless.

zkSBT is closely linked with zkAddress, serving as reusable and transparent destinations for confidential assets within the Manta Network. Each zkSBT is associated with a specific zkAddress, allowing multiple zkSBT to coexist under a single zkAddress. zkSBT contains metadata, including profile pictures, AI-generated images, and social relationship data, providing exceptional flexibility.

Manta Network introduces a key technology called Proof Key, enabling users to confirm their identity and zkSBT ownership on the blockchain without relying on wallet signatures. This innovation simplifies mobile app integration and opens doors to various verification scenarios, including privacy protection for profile pictures, conducting on-chain transactions without exposing address details, verifying ownership of in-game items, and securely accessing decentralized social graph information.

Worldcoin

In the Worldcoin ecosystem, World ID is a global identity protocol driven by two key technologies. These technologies enable individuals to digitally confirm their uniqueness and humanity while protecting their privacy. The foundational components of this system include ZKP and Semaphore, a universal open-source privacy layer based on zk-SNARKs technology, applicable to Ethereum applications. The system relies on a robust Proof of Personhood (PoP) credential, verified through an advanced biometric imaging device called The Orb. This collaboration enables individuals to digitally verify their unique identity and humanity.

Whenever a user uses their World ID, ZKP is employed to verify their unique human identity. This means that no third party can access a user's World ID or wallet public key, ensuring cross-application tracking is impossible. Importantly, it ensures that the use of World ID is completely independent of any form of biometric data or iris codes. The fundamental principle is that when you attempt to establish your unique human identity, you should be able to do so without revealing any personal information about yourself, such as your name, email address, social profiles, and more.

The process for verifying World ID registration is outlined below, enabling users to establish their unique human identity without revealing personal information.

Image source: Worldcoin

The primary goal of the project is to verify human uniqueness through encrypted on-chain iris scans to curb the proliferation of bots and artificial intelligence. ZKP is generated to verify identity when necessary. Despite this, Worldcoin faces scrutiny from community members concerned about privacy, ethical considerations, and security risks associated with storing biometric data. Despite the criticism, as of October 2023, there have been over 2.3 million World ID registrations covering over 100 countries.

Conclusion

In the evolving digital landscape, the importance of ZKP is increasingly evident. ZKP paves the way for future identity verification, ensuring respect for user privacy. Decentralized identity verification solutions using ZK technology face the primary challenge of data fragmentation across various blockchain networks. There is currently no universally interoperable solution that allows users to seamlessly use their identity across different networks, limiting the use of DIDs within each blockchain.

However, DID technology using ZK is gaining traction and attracting the attention of industry leaders. As the Web3 space continues to expand, we find ourselves on the edge of potential industry breakthroughs. Companies like Sismo are working to bridge the gap between Web2 and Web3. PolygonID seems to have the necessary technology and broad market access to act as a catalyst for DID implementation.

As technology continues to evolve and our understanding of ZKP deepens, we can anticipate a wider application of digital identity verification based on ZK technology, enhancing the security and privacy of our online interactions and laying a solid foundation for a more secure and confidential digital future.

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