Source URL: https://blog.zksecurity.xyz/posts/clean/
Source: Hacker News
Title: Clean, a formal verification DSL for ZK circuits in Lean4
Feedly Summary: Comments
AI Summary and Description: Yes
**Summary:**
The provided text discusses the development of an embedded Domain-Specific Language (DSL) and formal verification framework for Zero-Knowledge (ZK) circuits using Lean4. The project aims to enhance the correctness and reliability of ZK circuits through formal proofs. This topic is highly relevant for professionals in AI security and information security, particularly those focused on zero-knowledge proofs and formal verification methodologies in cryptography.
**Detailed Description:**
This text focuses on a framework called “clean,” which aims to improve the development and verification of Zero-Knowledge (ZK) circuits through formal verification techniques. Key points include:
– **Objective of the Framework:**
– To define ZK circuits in Lean4 and enable formal reasoning about their correctness.
– To create a library of reusable formally verified circuit gadgets by integrating circuit definitions with their correctness specifications.
– **Importance of Formal Verification:**
– ZK circuits are often prone to bugs; formal verification helps enhance their reliability by proving that the circuits function as intended.
– **Components of the Formal Verification Process:**
– **Circuit Definitions:** The framework allows for specifying variables and constraints that need to be satisfied for a ZK circuit.
– **Proofs of Soundness and Completeness:** It establishes two critical properties of circuits:
– **Soundness:** If a witness satisfies the constraints, then certain properties hold.
– **Completeness:** For any valid inputs, a witness can be found that satisfies the constraints.
– **DSL Design:**
– Four basic operations are defined for circuit creation:
– **Witness:** Introduces new variables.
– **Assert:** Adds constraints.
– **Lookup:** Establishes relations between variables.
– **Subcircuit:** Allows for the inclusion of smaller circuits into a larger one for reusability.
– **Example Implementation:**
– An 8-bit addition circuit is elaborated as a practical example of defining, verifying, and providing specifications within the framework. This demonstrates the application of the DSL in a concrete use case.
– **Support for AIR Arithmetization:**
– The framework also targets AIR (Algebraic Intermediate Representation), which is a popular choice for ZK proof systems.
– It specifies domains for constraints on how ZK circuits are validated, such as boundary and recurring constraints.
– **Future Directions:**
– The project plans to add more reusable low-level gadgets, define common hash function circuits, and build a minimal verified virtual machine based on RISC-V architecture.
– **Open Source:**
– The framework is open-source and available on GitHub, indicating the collaborative nature of its development and its potential for wider adoption in the industry.
This framework represents a significant advancement in formal verification techniques for security applications in the fields of cryptography and AI, providing essential tools for building reliable systems using ZK circuits.