I am an associate professor in the School of Computer and Communication Sciences at EPFL, where I lead the Laboratory for Computation Security.
Previously, I was an associate professor in the EECS Department at UC Berkeley.
I am an author of several zkSNARK libraries (such as libsnark) and arkworks.
I am a co-inventor of Zerocash, co-founder of Zcash, and co-founder of StarkWare Industries.
My work has been recognized by an IEEE SP Test-of-Time Award (2024), a Sloan Research Fellowship (2021), an Okawa Foundation Research Grant (2020), a nomination in MIT's TR35 (2018), and Google Faculty Research Awards (2018 and 2017).
Together with Eylon Yogev, I wrote a book on hash-based SNARGs: Building Cryptographic Proofs from Hash Functions.
Please use this bio and photo for announcements.
Research interests: I am broadly interested in Theoretical Computer Science and Computer Security. Specific interests include theoretical and applied cryptography, complexity theory, privacy-enhancing technologies, and quantum information.
[P3] |
Relativized Succinct Arguments in the ROM Do Not Exist
Annalisa Barbara,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Ziyi Guan
Cryptology ePrint Archive,
Report 2024/728
|
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[P2] |
A Time-Space Tradeoff for the Sumcheck Prover
Alessandro Chiesa,
Elisabetta Fedele,
Giacomo Fenzi,
Andrew Zitek-Estrada
Cryptology ePrint Archive,
Report 2024/524
|
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[P1] |
Reducing Participation Costs via Incremental Verification for Ledger Systems
Cryptology ePrint Archive,
Report 2020/1522
|
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[C61] |
zkSNARKs in the ROM with Unconditional UC-Security
Alessandro Chiesa,
Giacomo Fenzi
TCC 2024
(22nd Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C60] |
Untangling the Security of Kilian's Protocol: Upper and Lower Bounds
TCC 2024
(22nd Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C59] |
Security Bounds for Proof-Carrying Data from Straightline Extractors
Alessandro Chiesa,
Ziyi Guan,
Shahar Samocha,
Eylon Yogev
TCC 2024
(22nd Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C58] |
STIR: Reed–Solomon Proximity Testing with Fewer Queries
CRYPTO 2024
(44th International Cryptology Conference)
Best Paper Award
(CRYPTO 2024)
|
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[C57] |
On Parallel Repetition of PCPs
Alessandro Chiesa,
Ziyi Guan,
Burcu Yıldız
ITCS 2024
(15th Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science)
|
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[C56] |
IOPs with Inverse Polynomial Soundness Error
Gal Arnon,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Eylon Yogev
FOCS 2023
(64th IEEE Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science)
|
---|
[C55] |
Lattice-Based Succinct Arguments for NP with Polylogarithmic-Time Verification
Jonathan Bootle,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Katerina Sotiraki
CRYPTO 2023
(43rd International Cryptology Conference)
|
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[C54] |
EOS: Efficient Private Delegation of zkSNARK Provers
Alessandro Chiesa,
Ryan Lehmkuhl,
Pratyush Mishra,
Yinuo Zhang
USENIX Security 2023
(32nd USENIX Security Symposium)
|
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[C53] |
Proof-Carrying Data From Arithmetized Random Oracles
Megan Chen,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Tom Gur,
Jack O'Connor,
Nicholas Spooner
EUROCRYPT 2023
(42nd International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C52] |
A Toolbox for Barriers on Interactive Oracle Proofs
TCC 2022
(20th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C51] |
Hardness of Approximation for Stochastic Problems via Interactive Oracle Proofs
Gal Arnon,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Eylon Yogev
CCC 2022
(37th Computational Complexity Conference)
|
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[C50] |
On Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments in Relativized Worlds
Megan Chen,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Nicholas Spooner
EUROCRYPT 2022
(41st International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C49] |
Gemini: Elastic SNARKs for Diverse Environments
EUROCRYPT 2022
(41st International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C48] |
A PCP Theorem for Interactive Proofs and Applications
Gal Arnon,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Eylon Yogev
EUROCRYPT 2022
(41st International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
---|
[C47] |
Zero-Knowledge IOPs with Linear-Time Prover and Polylogarithmic-Time Verifier
Jonathan Bootle,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Siqi Liu
EUROCRYPT 2022
(41st International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C46] |
Tight Security Bounds for Micali’s SNARGs
Alessandro Chiesa,
Eylon Yogev
TCC 2021
(19th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C45] |
Post-Quantum Succinct Arguments: Breaking the Quantum Rewinding Barrier
FOCS 2021
(62nd IEEE Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science)
QIP 2022
(25th Conference on Quantum Information Processing)
|
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[C44] |
Sumcheck Arguments and their Applications
Jonathan Bootle,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Katerina Sotiraki
CRYPTO 2021
(41st International Cryptology Conference)
|
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[C43] |
Subquadratic SNARGs in the Random Oracle Model
Alessandro Chiesa,
Eylon Yogev
CRYPTO 2021
(41st International Cryptology Conference)
|
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[C42] |
Proof-Carrying Data without Succinct Arguments
CRYPTO 2021
(41st International Cryptology Conference)
|
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[C41] |
Proof-Carrying Data from Accumulation Schemes
TCC 2020
(18th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C40] |
Barriers for Succinct Arguments in the Random Oracle Model
Alessandro Chiesa,
Eylon Yogev
TCC 2020
(18th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C39] |
Linear-Time Arguments with Sublinear Verification from Tensor Codes
Jonathan Bootle,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Jens Groth
TCC 2020
(18th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C38] |
Fractal: Post-Quantum and Transparent Recursive Proofs from Holography
Alessandro Chiesa,
Dev Ojha,
Nicholas Spooner
EUROCRYPT 2020
(39th International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C37] |
Marlin: Preprocessing zkSNARKs with Universal and Updatable SRS
EUROCRYPT 2020
(39th International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C36] |
On the Impossibility of Probabilistic Proofs in Relativized Worlds
Alessandro Chiesa,
Siqi Liu
ITCS 2020
(11th Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science)
|
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[C35] |
On Local Testability in the Non-Signaling Setting
Alessandro Chiesa,
Peter Manohar,
Igor Shinkar
ITCS 2020
(11th Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science)
|
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[C34] |
ZEXE: Enabling Decentralized Private Computation
SP 2020
(41st IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy)
|
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[C33] |
Relaxed Locally Correctable Codes with Nearly-Linear Block Length and Constant Query Complexity
Alessandro Chiesa,
Tom Gur,
Igor Shinkar
SODA 2020
(31st Symposium on Discrete Algorithms)
|
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[C32] |
Succinct Arguments in the Quantum Random Oracle Model
Alessandro Chiesa,
Peter Manohar,
Nicholas Spooner
TCC 2019
(17th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
QIP 2020
(23rd Conference on Quantum Information Processing)
|
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[C31] |
Linear-Size Constant-Query IOPs for Delegating Computation
TCC 2019
(17th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C30] |
Aurora: Transparent Succinct Arguments for R1CS
Eli Ben-Sasson,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Michael Riabzev,
Nicholas Spooner,
Madars Virza,
Nicholas P. Ward
EUROCRYPT 2019
(38th International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C29] |
Probabilistic Checking against Non-Signaling Strategies from Linearity Testing
Alessandro Chiesa,
Peter Manohar,
Igor Shinkar
ITCS 2019
(10th Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science)
|
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[C28] |
Spatial Isolation Implies Zero Knowledge Even in a Quantum World
FOCS 2018
(59th IEEE Symposium on Foundations of Computer Science)
QIP 2019
(22nd Conference on Quantum Information Processing)
|
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[C27] |
DIZK: A Distributed Zero Knowledge Proof System
USENIX Security 2018
(27th USENIX Security Symposium)
|
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[C26] |
Testing Linearity against Non-Signaling Strategies
Alessandro Chiesa,
Peter Manohar,
Igor Shinkar
CCC 2018
(33rd Computational Complexity Conference)
|
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[C25] |
Oblix: An Efficient Oblivious Search Index
SP 2018
(39th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy)
|
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[C24] |
Proofs of Proximity for Distribution Testing
Alessandro Chiesa,
Tom Gur
ITCS 2018
(9th Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science)
|
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[C23] |
Zero Knowledge Protocols from Succinct Constraint Detection
Eli Ben-Sasson,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Michael A. Forbes,
Ariel Gabizon,
Michael Riabzev,
Nicholas Spooner
TCC 2017
(15th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C22] |
On Axis-Parallel Tests for Tensor Product Codes
Alessandro Chiesa,
Peter Manohar,
Igor Shinkar
RANDOM 2017
(21st International Workshop on Randomization and Computation)
|
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[C21] |
Interactive Oracle Proofs with Constant Rate and Query Complexity
ICALP 2017
(44th International Colloquium on Automata, Languages, and Programming)
|
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[C20] |
Decentralized Anonymous Micropayments
EUROCRYPT 2017
(36th International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C19] |
Computational Integrity with a Public Random String from Quasi-linear PCPs
Eli Ben-Sasson,
Iddo Ben-Tov,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Ariel Gabizon,
Daniel Genkin,
Matan Hamilis,
Evgenya Pergament,
Michael Riabzev,
Mark Silberstein,
Eran Tromer,
Madars Virza
EUROCRYPT 2017
(36th International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C18] |
Interactive Oracle Proofs
Eli Ben-Sasson,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Nicholas Spooner
TCC 2016-B
(14th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C17] |
Quasilinear-Size Zero Knowledge from Linear-Algebraic PCPs
TCC 2016-A
(13th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C16] |
Secure Sampling of Public Parameters for Succinct Zero Knowledge Proofs
SP 2015
(36th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy)
|
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[C15] |
Cluster Computing in Zero Knowledge
Alessandro Chiesa,
Eran Tromer,
Madars Virza
EUROCRYPT 2015
(34th International Conference on the Theory and Applications of Cryptographic Techniques)
|
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[C14] |
Scalable Zero Knowledge via Cycles of Elliptic Curves
CRYPTO 2014
(34th International Cryptology Conference)
|
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[C13] |
Succinct Non-Interactive Zero Knowledge for a von Neumann Architecture
USENIX Security 2014
(23rd USENIX Security Symposium)
|
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[C12] |
Knightian Self Uncertainty in the VCG Mechanism for Unrestricted Combinatorial Auctions
Alessandro Chiesa,
Silvio Micali,
Zeyuan Allen Zhu
EC 2014
(15th ACM Conference on Economics and Computation)
|
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[C11] |
Zerocash: Decentralized Anonymous Payments from Bitcoin
Eli Ben-Sasson,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Christina L. Garman,
Matthew D. Green,
Ian Miers,
Eran Tromer,
Madars Virza
SP 2014
(35th IEEE Symposium on Security and Privacy)
IEEE SP Test-of-Time Award in 2024
(papers from 10 years prior that had a substantial impact on the field of security and privacy)
|
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[C10] |
SNARKs for C: Verifying Program Executions Succinctly and in Zero Knowledge
CRYPTO 2013
(33rd International Cryptology Conference)
|
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[C09] |
On the Concrete Efficiency of Probabilistically-Checkable Proofs
STOC 2013
(45th ACM Symposium on the Theory of Computing)
|
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[C08] |
Recursive Composition and Bootstrapping for SNARKs and Proof-Carrying Data
STOC 2013
(45th ACM Symposium on the Theory of Computing)
|
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[C07] |
Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments via Linear Interactive Proofs
TCC 2013
(10th Theory of Cryptography Conference)
|
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[C06] |
Fast Reductions from RAMs to Delegatable Succinct Constraint Satisfaction Problems
ITCS 2013
(4th Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science)
|
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[C05] |
Succinct Arguments from Multi-Prover Interactive Proofs and their Efficiency Benefits
Nir Bitansky,
Alessandro Chiesa
CRYPTO 2012
(32nd International Cryptology Conference)
|
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[C04] |
From Extractable Collision Resistance to Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments of Knowledge, and Back Again
ITCS 2012
(3rd Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science)
|
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[C03] |
Mechanism Design with Approximate Valuations
Alessandro Chiesa,
Silvio Micali,
Zeyuan Allen Zhu
ITCS 2012
(3rd Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science)
|
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[C02] |
Proof-Carrying Data and Hearsay Arguments from Signature Cards
Alessandro Chiesa,
Eran Tromer
ITCS 2010
(1st Conference on Innovations in Theoretical Computer Science)
|
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[C01] |
A Security Analysis of the Boston T
Zackary Anderson,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Samuel McVeety,
Russell Ryan
DEF CON 16
(hacker convention in Las Vegas in 2008)
|
---|
[J10] |
Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments via Linear Interactive Proofs
Journal of Cryptology,
Volume 35, Issue 3, May 2022
|
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[J09] |
Spatial Isolation Implies Zero Knowledge Even in a Quantum World
Journal of the ACM,
Volume 69, Issue 2, April 2022, Article Number 15
|
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[J08] |
On Axis-Parallel Tests for Tensor Product Codes
Alessandro Chiesa,
Peter Manohar,
Igor Shinkar
Theory of Computing Journal,
Volume 6, Article 5, September 2020
|
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[J07] |
Testing Linearity against Non-Signaling Strategies
Alessandro Chiesa,
Peter Manohar,
Igor Shinkar
ACM Transactions on Computation Theory,
Volume 12, Issue 3, May 2020
|
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[J06] |
On Cycles of Pairing-Friendly Elliptic Curves
Alessandro Chiesa,
Lynn Chua,
Matthew Weidner
SIAM Journal on Applied Algebra and Geometry,
Volume 3, Issue 2, pages 175–192, April 2019
|
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[J05] |
Scalable Zero Knowledge via Cycles of Elliptic Curves
Algorithmica,
Volume 79, Issue 4, pages 1102-1160, December 2017
|
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[J04] |
The Hunting of the SNARK
Nir Bitansky,
Ran Canetti,
Alessandro Chiesa,
Shafi Goldwasser,
Huijia Lin,
Aviad Rubinstein,
Eran Tromer
Journal of Cryptology,
Volume 30, Issue 4, pages 989-1066, October 2017
|
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[J03] |
Knightian Analysis of the Vickrey Mechanism
Alessandro Chiesa,
Silvio Micali,
Zeyuan Allen Zhu
Econometrica,
Volume 83, Issue 5, pages 1727-1754, September 2015
|
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[J02] |
Improved Soundness for QMA with Multiple Provers
Alessandro Chiesa,
Michael A. Forbes
|
---|
[J01] |
Proof-carrying data: Secure computation on untrusted platforms
Alessandro Chiesa,
Eran Tromer
The Next Wave: The NSA's review of emerging technologies,
Vol.19, No.2, 2012
|
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[T2] |
Succinct Non-Interactive Arguments
Ph.D. thesis (September 2014)
MIT EECS Department
Advised by Prof. Silvio Micali
|
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[T1] |
Proof-Carrying Data
M.Eng. thesis (June 2010)
MIT EECS Department
Advised by Prof. Ronald L. Rivest and Prof. Eran Tromer
|
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I joined EPFL's faculty in the summer of 2021, and UC Berkeley's faculty in the summer of 2015.
Prior to that, I spent one year as a postdoctoral researcher at ETH Zürich; my host was Prof. Thomas Holenstein.
I earned my Ph.D. in the Theory of Computation group in CSAIL at MIT; my doctoral thesis advisor was Prof. Silvio Micali.
I earned my M.Eng. in the same group; my master's thesis advisors were Prof. Eran Tromer and Prof. Ron Rivest.
I earned my S.B. in Mathematics and my S.B. in Computer Science at MIT; outside of classes and labs, I rowed for the heavyweight varsity crew team at MIT.
A list of my old coursework while at MIT can be found here.
Before coming to MIT, I lived in Varese, Italy, where I was born in 1987. While in Italy, I attended the European School of Varese from kindergarten through high school; this school is part of the system of European Schools, which awards students the European Baccalaureate.
I enjoy many outdoor sports, including biking, climbing, mountaineering, and running.