TACEO and Aztec Foundation are collaborating to develop a Private Shared State, an encrypted environment that facilitates updates, multi-computation, and auditing all under one private decentralized structure.
Summary
- TACEO and Aztec Foundation are joining forces to introduce Private Shared State on Ethereum.
- PSS is distinct from existing MPC solutions as it enables shared, persistent private states on-chain, emphasizing developer usability through TACEO’s coNoir toolkit.
- TACEO asserts that its system is designed with post-quantum security, employing information-theoretically secure protocols and investigating hash-based proof systems.
TACEO, known for Worldcoin’s encrypted iris-scanning network and the largest multiparty computation database, has partnered with the Aztec Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the Aztec Network, to establish a Private Shared State on Ethereum.
This partnership claims to allow multiple stakeholders to verify blockchain transactions and contracts without revealing the underlying information or needing a centralized entity for verification. It merges TACEO’s collaborative computation capabilities with Aztec’s privacy-focused Layer 2 on Ethereum (ETH).
According to TACEO CEO Lukas Helminger, the PSS aims to extend the functionalities of multiparty computation (MPC) to new realms where it was previously constrained. The system will enable users to collaborate on encrypted datasets for computation.
“In summary, PSS enables several parties to jointly manage and compute over a singular, shared piece of private state, then commit that state on-chain with a verifiable proof,” Helminger stated.
Through this collaboration, Aztec developers will have access to enhanced tools that support complex and collaborative computations. Developers can execute general-purpose computations on encrypted data from various sources, offering functionality and privacy that surpass traditional web2 capabilities.
The PSS is set to enable a variety of use cases, including trustless financial markets, collaborative AI model training, cheat-proof on-chain gaming, and data sovereignty frameworks.
TACEO CEO: ‘Our approach is different’
TACEO CEO Lukas Helminger discusses how the Private Shared State differs from conventional multiparty computation solutions, allowing for arbitrary computation on encrypted data and enabling the generation of a proof of correctness for that computation.
Helminger emphasizes that this method creates a “persistent state that no individual entity can access but can be updated over time,” permitting multiple parties to jointly manage and compute over the same private state. This differentiates PSS from ZKMPC, which he states focuses on one-time secure computations without providing an on-chain state model for contracts.
The company also differentiates its efforts from NuCypher’s threshold cryptography framework.
While NuCypher concentrates on typical applications for MPC or threshold cryptography such as signing, decryption delegation, and threshold access, PSS transcends that by offering shared, updatable private state with on-chain proofs.
Another key distinction that sets PSS apart from other solutions is its focus on usability for developers.
“Our approach is different: we’re transforming MPC, coSNARKs, and PSS into tools that any developer can utilize to build applications with confidentiality,” Helminger stated.
Through its coNoir toolkit, the company aims to facilitate seamless integration for those already utilizing Noir, Aztec’s zero-knowledge programming language.
“Traditional MPC libraries often stemmed from academic research, making them potent but impractical. With coNoir, we aspire to simplify extending applications into an MPC and PSS environment for developers already using it,” Helminger expressed.
Regarding safety and security, Helminger asserts that the protocols supporting the network have undergone years of peer-reviewed research and that a security assessment is currently underway, with regular external audits planned once the system stabilizes.
“By the very nature of MPC, no single node gains knowledge of the plaintext, and confidentiality is maintained as long as the threshold of colluding nodes is not exceeded,” he added.
How does the Private Shared State fare against quantum computing?
Many experts consider quantum computing a potential threat to cryptocurrency given its rapid development. In fact, there are concerns that it could one day break Bitcoin’s encryption, granting access to wallets, an event often referred to as “Q Day.”
Recently, Solana co-founder Anatoly Yakovenko noted that there is currently a 50-50 chance that in five years, quantum computers will be advanced enough to crack the cryptographic safeguards protecting Bitcoin wallets.
When asked how TACEO and Aztec’s PSS will withstand the challenges posed by quantum computing, TACEO CEO Lukas Helminger stated that some components of the stack, such as secret sharing within MPC environments, are “already information-theoretically secure and inherently post-quantum.”
“In areas where quantum risk may arise, such as certain proof systems, we are actively investigating post-quantum secure methods, including hash-based ZK,” Helminger disclosed.
He explained that the research team involved in the project has prior experience in post-quantum standards, thus developing the system with a clear migration strategy as technology progresses.
“We adopt a crypto-agile approach: the system is crafted to enable migration of components to post-quantum alternatives as they develop. For instance, while today’s SNARKs rely on elliptic-curve assumptions, we are already testing hash-based proof systems,” he stated.
