Selective Disclosure And Zero Knowledge Proofs

Selective disclosure

Holders can selectively disclose specific properties within a VC to a verifier. This means that holders can provide verifiers with only the exact information needed, without revealing additional, unnecessary data. The derived data from the VC can also be formatted in any way the verifier requests, all without requiring the involvement of the issuer.

For example, in the physical world, to prove one’s age to access a service, individuals often have to present their identity documents in their entirety, revealing more information than necessary. With VCs, it’s possible to present only the specific request (“Adult or not”) and establish reliability and verifiability without disclosing additional details like date of birth or exact age. Furthermore, Verifiable Presentations (VPs) can combine requests from different credentials issued by various issuers, such as extracting “name” from one issuer and “age” from another.

Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKPs)

Zero Knowledge Proof is a concept that allows a user to share or prove the authenticity of a value without revealing the actual value itself. This mechanism significantly enhances the control users have over their data.

Privacy preservation with Zero-Knowledge Proofs

Zero-Knowledge Proofs play a crucial role in maintaining privacy by avoiding the exposure of the holder’s or subject’s identification. With this mechanism, users can prove that a credential was issued to them without the need to share any specific identity details. This reduces the amount of data that needs to be shared.

Additionally, this capability allows for the consolidation of multiple VCs from various issuers into a single VP without revealing VC or subject identifiers to the verifier. This adds an extra layer of privacy and security, as multiple credentials can be presented as a whole without exposing individual identifiers.

Zero-Knowledge Proofs are a powerful tool in the world of digital identity and data sharing, providing users with greater control over their information while simultaneously enhancing privacy and security.