What are Zero-Knowledge Proofs?
Understanding the cryptographic magic that protects your privacy
The Concept
A Zero-Knowledge Proof (ZKP) is a cryptographic method where one party (the prover) can prove to another party (the verifier) that they know a value or possess certain information, without revealing the actual information itself.
Three Key Properties
Completeness
If the statement is true, an honest verifier will be convinced by an honest prover.
Soundness
If the statement is false, no cheating prover can convince the verifier (except with negligible probability).
Zero-Knowledge
The verifier learns nothing beyond the fact that the statement is true.
Interactive Demo: The Color Challenge
This classic example demonstrates how you can prove you can distinguish between two colors without revealing which is which.
The Challenge: You (the prover) claim you can tell the difference between a red ball and a green ball. A color-blind verifier wants to test your claim without being able to see the colors themselves.
Click "Start Round" to begin. The verifier will show you two balls, then hide them behind their back.
How Artemis Uses ZKPs
Privacy-Preserving UK Car Insurance
When you apply for car insurance in the UK, you can prove things like "I have a clean licence", "my annual mileage is under 8,000", or "my driving score is above 80" without sharing raw DVLA records or telematics data.
Benefits
- Privacy: Keep licence details and telematics history private
- Verification: Insurers can confirm no-claims status or good driving without raw data
- Compliance: Designed for GDPR and UK privacy expectations
- Control: Choose what to prove (clean licence, mileage, driving score) and nothing more