02 — Framework · Failure mode

Assuming a transparent system means no trusted setup anywhere

A setup-free inner proof system is selected for exactly that property, then wrapped in a pairing-based SNARK to make on-chain verification affordable. The wrapper has its own setup, often inherited from a ceremony nobody on the team examined.

By MarketComp Updated 2026-09-12 v1.3 About the authors Changelog

Mitigation

Trace the assumption to what the chain actually verifies. If a wrapper is used, its parameters are in scope: name their provenance and verify that transcript. See §04.

Cite this page

MarketComp (2026). Assuming a transparent system means no trusted setup anywhere. The ZK Field Manual (Version 1.3). MarketComp. https://zkpick.com/frameworks/failure-modes/assuming-a-transparent-system-means-no-trusted-setup-anywhere/

@misc{zkfieldmanual-assuming-a-transparent-system-means-no-t,
  title        = {Assuming a transparent system means no trusted setup anywhere — The ZK Field Manual},
  author       = {MarketComp},
  year         = {2026},
  version      = {1.3},
  howpublished = {\url{https://zkpick.com/frameworks/failure-modes/assuming-a-transparent-system-means-no-trusted-setup-anywhere/}},
  note         = {Accessed: YYYY-MM-DD}
}