OpenZeppelin | Zero Knowledge Proof (ZKP) Practice

Navigating the Challenges

Proper cryptographic setup and circuit construction

OpenZeppelin’s Role
Our cryptographers collaborate with clients to assess and solve issues by

Assessing the most appropriate arithmetization, argument systems, hash functions, commitment schemes, elliptic curves, finite fields, etc., for the NP statements to be proven.
Sharing our knowledge regarding the security limitations and subtleties of cryptographic setup to avoid the introduction of unwanted and unnoticed bugs in the code.
Identifying how to best use existing primitives (e.g., how to specialize PLONK or a lookup argument for your project).
Verifying you've specified your circuits correctly (and they're fully constrained).

Secure implementation and integration of ZKP components

OpenZeppelin’s Role
Our combined cryptography and security team secure ZKP systems by

Verifying correct implementation of the prover/verifier algorithm for chosen argument systems from both cryptographic and security perspective.
Determining the risks/vulnerabilities possibly introduced by modifying or optimizing existing primitives.
Ensuring the correct interaction through the sequencing layer between the ZKP functionality on L2 and the smart contract/s on L1. Every use case requires individualized customization to align ZK-proofs with smart contracts when developing applications.
Ensuring systems conform with EVM rules, opcodes and functionalities, because ZKP systems extend EVM functionality to layer 2s.

The Approach

Advise

We advise on proper protocol designs using common blockchain cryptographic building blocks (eg. BLS signatures, Schnorr signatures, Sigma protocols) for correctness, security and efficiency.

Assess

Ongoing assessment and recommendations to ensure correctness and security when implementing protocol designs and/or modifying existing peer reviewed protocols.

Audit

Our audits ensure security, completeness, soundness and conformance with standard references and best practices (eg. PLONKish family of protocols, ZK-friendly hash functions)

At every stage, OpenZeppelin is pleased to provide research papers and publishable security assessments. We seek to instill confidence and transparency in clients’ specific implementations, thereby promoting the industry as a whole.

Our team excels in ZK cryptography, widely-used implementations of open-source libraries, and securing L1/L2 systems

6+

Years in cryptographic & Blockchain Security Research experience

1400+

Citations span more than 50 published papers' impact

Co-authors on multiple cryptographic designs including:

PLONK, a next-generation zk-SNARK proof system in use with ZK Rollups.
Anemoi, a family of ZK-friendly hash functions.
Cryptographic implementations for libsnark among other open-source contributions.
Familiarity with multiple PLONK variations, custom circuits, custom SNARKs, ZK-friendly hash functions, Ring VRFs and signature schemes like Schnorr and BLS.

"The cryptographers at OpenZeppelin are extremely proficient. We designed a modification that was not easy to grasp, and it was understood quite quickly and thoroughly. The discussions led to some upgrade not only in the solidity code but in gnark-crypto and gnark, especially KZG related operations."

Thomas Piellard

Applied Cryptographer

Security Insights

The Last Challenge Attack

Our team of ZKP security experts identified a critical vulnerability in Linea's PLONK verifier, highlighting the importance of auditing cryptographic systems.

Audit Report

Linea Bridge Audit

Linea, an Ethereum ZK-rollup, lowers fees through efficient transactions and verifications. We audited the system used to bridge assets from Ethereum to Linea.

Blog Post

Announcing the OpenZeppelin Zero Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) Practice

We are now providing expert ZKP audit services, ensuring security in complex cryptographic systems...

Video

Part 1: ZK-friendly Hash Functions

Overview of ZK-friendly hash functions, distinction from "classical" ones, taxonomy, typical use cases, highlighting MiMC, Poseidon and Rescue.

Watch More

Video

Part 2: The Anemoi ZK-friendly Hash Function

Describing Anemoi ZK-friendly hash function family, leveraging CCZ-equivalence, its components and Flystel S-box, use cases, benchmarks, references.

Watch More

Audit Report

Linea Verifier Audit

The Linea Verifier contracts are standalone systems that can be used by the Linea L1 contracts to validate whether a proposed state root should be accepted.

ZKP’s Promise:
Scalability, Speed, Data Privacy, and Security

Navigating the Challenges

Proper cryptographic setup and circuit construction

Secure implementation and integration of ZKP components

The Approach

Our team excels in ZK cryptography, widely-used implementations of open-source libraries, and securing L1/L2 systems

6+

1400+

We would be delighted to talk with you

If you are embarking on a ZKP project, we are happy to participate

ZKP’s Promise:Scalability, Speed, Data Privacy, and Security

Navigating the Challenges

Proper cryptographic setup and circuit construction

Secure implementation and integration of ZKP components

The Approach

Our team excels in ZK cryptography, widely-used implementations of open-source libraries, and securing L1/L2 systems

6+

1400+

Related Resources

We would be delighted to talk with you

If you are embarking on a ZKP project, we are happy to participate

ZKP’s Promise:
Scalability, Speed, Data Privacy, and Security