The latest articles on DEV Community by Manushri Patil (@manushri_patil_4807c56550). https://dev.to/manushri_patil_4807c56550 https://media2.dev.to/dynamic/image/width=90,height=90,fit=cover,gravity=auto,format=auto/https:%2F%2Fdev-to-uploads.s3.us-east-2.amazonaws.com%2Fuploads%2Fuser%2Fprofile_image%2F3995073%2F6374a2ab-927c-4d24-bdaa-26c741b85ce1.png https://dev.to/manushri_patil_4807c56550 en Manushri Patil Sun, 21 Jun 2026 08:30:29 +0000 https://dev.to/manushri_patil_4807c56550/exploring-privacy-preserving-age-verification-with-zero-knowledge-proofs-30lb https://dev.to/manushri_patil_4807c56550/exploring-privacy-preserving-age-verification-with-zero-knowledge-proofs-30lb <p>One of the most common ways to verify age online is to upload an ID document or provide personal information directly to a service.</p> <p>This creates a problem: in many cases, a service only needs to know whether a user satisfies an age requirement, not their exact date of birth or identity.</p> <p>To explore an alternative approach, I built a prototype called Vyntra that uses zero-knowledge proofs (ZKPs) to verify age requirements while minimizing the amount of information disclosed.</p> <p><strong>Current Prototype:</strong></p> <p>The prototype consists of three components:</p> <p><strong>Issuer:</strong></p> <p>A credential issuer creates a credential containing age-related information and signs it.</p> <p><strong>Wallet:</strong></p> <p>The user stores the issued credential locally and can inspect details such as the issuer and credential identifier.</p> <p><strong>Verification:</strong></p> <p>When a service requests age verification, the user generates a zero-knowledge proof showing that they satisfy a required age threshold.</p> <p>The verifier can confirm the proof without learning the user's date of birth.</p> <p><strong>Why Explore This?</strong></p> <p>Current age verification systems often require users to repeatedly share sensitive personal information with multiple services.</p> <p>In theory, a credential-based system combined with zero-knowledge proofs could allow users to prove facts about themselves while revealing significantly less data.</p> <p>For example:</p> <ul> <li>Prove you are 16+</li> <li>Prove you are 18+</li> <li>Prove you are 21+</li> </ul> <p>without revealing your actual age or date of birth.</p> <p><strong>Questions and Challenges</strong></p> <p>While the prototype is functioning, I am currently more interested in evaluating the architecture than adding additional features.</p> <p>Some questions I am exploring:</p> <ul> <li>What are the biggest trust assumptions in a system like this?</li> <li>How should credential revocation be handled?</li> <li>What would prevent developers from integrating such a system?</li> <li>Does this solve a meaningful problem in practice?</li> <li>Are there existing projects or standards that approach this problem more effectively?</li> </ul> <h2> Looking for Feedback </h2> <p>I would appreciate feedback from developers, privacy engineers and anyone familiar with identity systems or zero-knowledge proofs.</p> <p>Prototype:<br> <a href="https://vyntra-4rae.onrender.com" rel="noopener noreferrer">https://vyntra-4rae.onrender.com</a></p> privacy security showdev web3