[T0Bi]

I'm not sure if this thread should be in this section, since it's not about crypto currency but rather crypto technology but it seems like the best place anyway.

I'm currently looking into the math and cryptography behind zero knowledge proofs, currently focusing specifically on range proofs.

Here's where I started: https://www.ingwb.com/media/2122048/zero...epaper.pdf
This paper links to lots of other interesting (and essential) sources as well.

Are there any people here who know their math and are interested in deep diving on ZKPs, maybe building PoCs of some potential use cases and just trying to understand the math?

[XMR]

Zero knowledge proof is a blanket term and doesn't refer to any single algorithm on its own. The math would depend on the exact use case. You could consider something like a PGP signature to be a sort of zero-knowledge proof. You're proving that you have access to a certain private key without revealing the private key itself. By extension, you're proving your identity without revealing it (assuming your real identity isn't directly attached to the key). In this case, the math behind the proof would be the math behind an RSA or elliptic curve signature.

Privacy-focused coins like Monero use ZKPs extensively. Ring signatures to obscure the sender, RingCT/bulletproofs to hide the tx amount, and stealth addresses to hide the receiver's true identity. Despite all of this, it can still be proven that there were no coins created out of thin air, the real receiver got their money, etc. without the need to reveal any privacy compromising information.

[T0Bi]

I don't really see the payoff in understanding the math itself behind cryptography unless you are looking for exploits to sell/abuse.  Are you a grad student or something?

This is not about 'payoff'. I like to learn something new every now and then an ZKPs are an interesting and challenging subject.
My times as a student are long gone, but I still love math and cryptography.

Personally I'm mostly interested in the privacy aspects of ZKPs.

Zero knowledge proof is a blanket term and doesn't refer to any single algorithm on its own.

Which is why I wrote I'm specifically focusing on range proofs as described in the linked paper. You gotta start somewhere, right?

Here's a very short research article published by Ruben Somsen that explains SNARKs without all the alien math

And I want to understand the alien math and wanted to know if someone else feels the same way