Groups of Unknown Order

Definition ∞ Groups of unknown order refer to a mathematical concept used in advanced cryptography, particularly in constructions like RSA accumulators and verifiable delay functions. These are cryptographic groups where determining the order of the group, which is the number of elements it contains, is computationally very hard. This property provides a strong foundation for certain security assumptions without relying on trusted setups.
Context ∞ In crypto news, discussions of groups of unknown order typically surface in technical reports about new cryptographic primitives or blockchain scaling solutions. Their application often relates to enhancing privacy, improving the efficiency of proofs, or creating secure randomness sources for decentralized systems. Advances in this area are critical for the long-term security and scalability of various blockchain protocols, particularly those utilizing zero-knowledge proofs.