zk-STARK
What is zk-STARK?
zk-STARKA Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge: a post-quantum-friendly zero-knowledge proof system that needs no trusted setup and relies only on collision-resistant hash functions.
A zk-STARK (Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge) is a non-interactive zero-knowledge proof system whose security relies only on collision-resistant hash functions and information-theoretic techniques (FRI, AIR, low-degree testing). Unlike zk-SNARKs, STARKs require no trusted setup ("transparent"), scale quasi-linearly in prover time, and are believed to be post-quantum secure. The trade-off is much larger proof sizes — typically tens to hundreds of kilobytes — though verification remains polylogarithmic. zk-STARKs underpin Starknet and other Layer-2 rollups, as well as verifiable-computation services for off-chain workloads and ML inference.
● Examples
- 01
Starknet uses zk-STARKs to prove the correctness of off-chain transaction batches against Ethereum.
- 02
Verifiable ML services that prove a model produced a specific output without revealing inputs.
● Frequently asked questions
What is zk-STARK?
A Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge: a post-quantum-friendly zero-knowledge proof system that needs no trusted setup and relies only on collision-resistant hash functions. It belongs to the Cryptography category of cybersecurity.
What does zk-STARK mean?
A Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge: a post-quantum-friendly zero-knowledge proof system that needs no trusted setup and relies only on collision-resistant hash functions.
How does zk-STARK work?
A zk-STARK (Zero-Knowledge Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge) is a non-interactive zero-knowledge proof system whose security relies only on collision-resistant hash functions and information-theoretic techniques (FRI, AIR, low-degree testing). Unlike zk-SNARKs, STARKs require no trusted setup ("transparent"), scale quasi-linearly in prover time, and are believed to be post-quantum secure. The trade-off is much larger proof sizes — typically tens to hundreds of kilobytes — though verification remains polylogarithmic. zk-STARKs underpin Starknet and other Layer-2 rollups, as well as verifiable-computation services for off-chain workloads and ML inference.
How do you defend against zk-STARK?
Defences for zk-STARK typically combine technical controls and operational practices, as detailed in the full definition above.
What are other names for zk-STARK?
Common alternative names include: STARK, Scalable Transparent Argument of Knowledge.
● Related terms
- cryptography№ 1265
Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP)
A cryptographic protocol in which a prover convinces a verifier that a statement is true without revealing anything beyond the validity of the statement itself.
- cryptography№ 1269
zk-SNARK
A Zero-Knowledge Succinct Non-Interactive Argument of Knowledge: a small, fast-to-verify proof that a computation was performed correctly, without revealing its inputs.
- cryptography№ 247
Cryptographic Hash Function
A deterministic one-way function that maps arbitrary-length input to a fixed-length digest, designed to be collision-, preimage-, and second-preimage-resistant.
- cryptography№ 846
Post-Quantum Cryptography
Classical cryptographic algorithms designed to remain secure against attacks by both classical and large-scale quantum computers.
- cryptography№ 987
Secure Multi-Party Computation (MPC)
A family of cryptographic protocols that lets several parties jointly compute a function over their private inputs while revealing nothing beyond the output.
- cryptography№ 481
Homomorphic Encryption
An encryption scheme that allows computations to be performed directly on ciphertexts, producing encrypted results that match the operations on the underlying plaintexts.