Zero Knowledge Protocols

Abstract

In this day and age, it is commonplace to spend part of our day on the Internet. Whether to check e-mail, purchase goods, manage a bank account, or merely browse interesting sites, we rely on certain security measures to keep personal information safe from unwanted outsiders. Within the field of cryptography there are many techniques and algorithms that have provided top-notch security for our methods of communication today, yet as technology advances and as loopholes are found, we are constantly looking for novel ways to protect our information. Introduced approximately 25 years ago by Goldwasser, Micali, and Rackoff, zero knowledge protocols seek to do just that. This paper will explore these protocols, their application to NP-complete problems (problems with no efficient way of finding a solution), and their use in modern day cryptosystems