OR-Aggregation: Efficient Zero-Knowledge Set Membership for IoT Blockchains ∞ Research

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Briefing

This paper addresses the critical challenge of efficient and privacy-preserving set membership verification within blockchain-based sensor networks, environments characterized by severe resource constraints. It introduces a novel OR-aggregation technique for zero-knowledge proofs, which fundamentally redefines how membership proofs are constructed and verified. This breakthrough allows for constant-size proofs and significantly reduced computational overhead, unlocking the potential for truly scalable and secure data management in large-scale IoT ecosystems.

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Context

Prior to this research, established methods for proving set membership in decentralized systems, such as Merkle Trees or traditional zk-SNARKs, presented significant limitations for resource-constrained IoT devices. These approaches often led to proof sizes that scaled logarithmically with set size, demanded intensive computational resources for generation and verification, or required complex trusted setups. Such inherent inefficiencies hindered the practical deployment of privacy-preserving blockchain solutions in environments where bandwidth and energy are paramount.

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Analysis

The core of this research lies in its novel OR-aggregation protocol, a mechanism designed for zero-knowledge set membership proofs. This protocol allows a prover to demonstrate that an element belongs to a set without revealing which specific element it is, achieving this by aggregating individual proofs into a single, compact unit. The technique leverages mathematical properties from both RSA and elliptic curve cryptography, ensuring that proof size remains constant regardless of the set’s scale. This fundamental difference from previous methods provides substantial improvements in computational efficiency and verification speed, making it uniquely suited for devices with limited processing power.

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Parameters

Core Concept ∞ OR-Aggregation Zero-Knowledge Proofs
New System/Protocol ∞ OR-Aggregation Protocol
Key Authors ∞ Kuznetsov, O. et al.
Proof Size ∞ Constant, independent of set size
Target Environment ∞ Blockchain-based sensor networks, IoT
Underlying Cryptography ∞ RSA and Elliptic Curve Cryptography

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Outlook

This research establishes a crucial foundation for future advancements in privacy-preserving and scalable blockchain applications, particularly within the Internet of Things. The development of constant-size proofs opens new avenues for deploying light clients and robust access control systems on resource-constrained devices. Anticipate real-world applications in smart city infrastructure, supply chain verification, and decentralized identity systems where efficient, private data handling is paramount within the next three to five years.

This OR-aggregation approach fundamentally advances zero-knowledge proof utility, enabling scalable and private verification for ubiquitous, resource-constrained decentralized systems.

Signal Acquired from ∞ mdpi.com

This research introduces novel zero-knowledge proof systems that dramatically reduce server communication costs for private analytics and enhance distributed proof generation scalability, fundamentally improving the efficiency of privacy-preserving computations.