Offline Zero-Knowledge Proofs (Offline-ZKP): Delay-Tolerant State Anchoring, Idempotent Slashing, and Verifiable Anonymous Computation over Disconnected Mesh Networks (v1.0)
Year: 2026
Type: preprint
Abstract: Offline Zero-Knowledge Proofs (Offline-ZKP v1.0) defines an architectural and cryptographic framework for verifiable zero-knowledge computation, Sybil-resistant rate limiting, and double-spend deterrence across completely disconnected, delay-tolerant mesh networks (BLE, Wi-Fi Direct, LoRa/Reticulum) where neither the Prover nor the Verifier has live internet or blockchain RPC access. While classical Rate-Limiting Nullifiers (RLN / Waku-RLN) and Compact E-Cash (Camenisch et al., 2005) rely on synchronized epochs or loss-free transaction channels, they suffer from severe failure modes in asynchronous Delay-Tolerant Networks (DTNs)—including time-drift quota multiplication, honest-user self-slashing during packet retries, and verifier share collisions. Offline-ZKP addresses these gaps through four core mechanisms:1. Delay-Tolerant Threshold State Snapshots (DT-TSS) with explicit clock-drift bounding (window W) and stake sizing invariants.2. Deterministic Intent Binding and Cancellation Tombstones, ensuring idempotent retries over lossy radio links so honest users never leak their secret key upon packet retransmission.3. Unlinkable Per-Slot Serials and Pedersen Balance Commitments, adapting divisible Compact E-Cash to prevent intra-epoch transaction linkability.4. Priority Victim Indemnification and CRDT Gossip Slashing, guaranteeing that defrauded offline verifiers recover their losses from the slashed stake prior to relayer bounty distribution.
Author: Atakan, Mert
Language: English
Subfield: Computer Networks and Communications
Field: Computer Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W7225823969
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