Paper 2026/2039 presents ZK-JPEG, a cryptographic tool for JPEG compression that proves an image was correctly compressed from a secret, committed input. The system addresses challenges in image authentication, where lossy compression and other transformations invalidate digital signatures. Traditional tools for verifying image provenance struggle with desirable transformations like JPEG compression, blurring, or redaction.

ZK-JPEG uses zero-knowledge (ZK) proofs to verify a large family of image transformations while maintaining cryptographic integrity. The approach integrates transformations directly into JPEG compression with minimal cost, making it fast, flexible, and compatible with off-the-shelf ZK tools. Researchers Samuel Dittmer, Steve Lu, Kimberlee Model, and Joseph Near employed Pico ZK to convert Python image editing code into a ZK circuit for the line-point zero knowledge (LPZK) proof system, demonstrating practical implementation of the technology.