Zero‑Knowledge Ethics Protocol (ZKE)

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The Zero‑Knowledge Ethics Protocol (ZKE) is a foundational cryptographic mechanism within the KoR Integrity Framework that enforces ethical compliance without revealing any internal decision logic.

ZKE ensures that an agent’s actions adhere strictly to the shared Codex 21 ethical rules, while preserving complete confidentiality of its reasoning process.

What Is ZKE?

  • Ethical Enforcement in Silence
    ZKE allows an AI component to prove it has checked and honored the ethical codex, without exposing how each rule was evaluated or which data was considered.
  • Privacy‑First Integrity
    Agents publish a ZKE token that certifies moral alignment, with no leakage of user inputs, model internals, or rule-check details.
  • Immutable Certification
    Each ZKE proof is signed, timestamped, and optionally anchored on-chain/IPFS, creating a permanent audit record.

How ZKE Works

  1. Ethics Evaluation
    • The agent runs its internal checks against Codex 21 rules.
  2. Generate Proof
    • A compact cryptographic proof (e.g. hash commitment) is created, referencing the successful evaluation of all required ethical axioms.
  3. Sign & Timestamp
    • The proof is signed with the agent’s private key and stamped with an ISO‑8601 time.
  4. Publish & Verify
    • Verifiers can check the signature and timestamp against the public key and codex reference—with zero visibility into the check details.
flowchart TD
    A[Run Ethics Checks] --> B[Create Proof of Compliance]
    B --> C[Sign & Timestamp]
    C --> D[Publish ZKE Token]
    D --> E[Verifier Validates Signature & Codex]

Key Benefits

  • Transparency Without Exposure: Demonstrates ethical compliance while keeping all decision paths opaque.
  • Lean Integration: Minimal cryptographic overhead fits seamlessly into existing refusal‑first workflows.
  • Cross‑Module Compatibility: Standardized proofs work across all KoR modules and third‑party systems.
  • Regulatory Readiness: Supports evidence requirements for audits, certifications, and legal compliance.

Use Cases

  • Autonomous Systems
    Certify that a self-driving vehicle’s decisions respect safety and ethical guidelines without revealing proprietary algorithms.
  • Healthcare AI
    Prove that diagnostic suggestions conform to medical ethics, protecting patient data confidentiality.
  • Financial Algorithms
    Ensure trading bots adhere to fair-market rules and anti-fraud regulations, while safeguarding strategy details.
  • Multi‑Agent Networks
    Trust that every node in a distributed AI ecosystem honors the same ethical standards, without central oversight.

Implementation Tips

  1. Proof Construction
    • Use Merkle trees or succinct hash commitments to aggregate multiple rule checks into one proof.
  2. Key Management
    • Store signing keys in a secured vault or HSM; rotate keys per compliance policy.
  3. Verification API
    • Provide a /zke/verify endpoint that accepts tokens and returns a pass/fail status.
  4. Integration with Logs.kor
    • Log every ZKE issuance and verification event in Logs.kor v1 for a complete audit history.

The Zero‑Knowledge Ethics Protocol (ZKE) is the silent guardian of KoR’s moral perimeter

guaranteeing that every action is ethically vetted, while keeping the “how” permanently private.

Legal & License:
Swiss Copyright Law (LDA) + Berne Convention
License: KoR License v1.0 (refusal‑bound)
Anti‑Fork Clause: Unauthorized duplication without active codex and logging is invalid.

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