Physical zero-knowledge proofs of physical properties

Abstract

Is it possible to prove that two DNA-fingerprints match, or that they do not match, without revealing any further information about the fingerprints? Is it possible to prove that two objects have the same design without revealing the design itself? In the digital domain, zero-knowledge is an established concept where a prover convinces a verifier of a statement without revealing any information beyond the statement's validity. However, zero-knowledge is not as well-developed in the context of problems that are inherently physical. In this paper, we are interested in protocols that prove physical properties of physical objects without revealing further information. The literature lacks a unified formal framework for designing and analyzing such protocols. We suggest the first paradigm for formally defining, modeling, and analyzing physical zero-knowledge (PhysicalZK) protocols, using the Universal Composability framework. We also demonstrate applications of physical zero-knowledge to DNA profiling and neutron radiography. Finally, we explore public observation proofs, an analog of public-coin proofs in the context of PhysicalZK. © 2014 International Association for Cryptologic Research.