Ethereum Accelerates Work on zkEVM Security Ahead of December Deadline

Ethereum has already won the speed battle on zkEVMs. The security battle remains open. A research competition supported by the Ethereum Foundation still shows a gap of 52.14 bits between the currently proven results on a cryptographic component. The network aims for a demonstrable security of 128 bits for its zkEVMs by early December.

In Brief

• Ethereum aims for demonstrable zkEVM security of 128 bits before December.
• A benchmark still shows an unresolved gap of 52.14 bits.
• zkEVM proofs currently remain complementary to the classical validation system.

Ethereum has long been preparing for the arrival of zkEVMs directly on its main layer. The initial work focused on performance. By the end of 2025, teams had managed to reduce the time required to prove an Ethereum block from about 16 minutes to a few seconds. Several zkVMs could already generate proofs for 99% of blocks in under ten seconds on targeted hardware.

Speed is no longer enough. The Ethereum Foundation is now demanding provable security of 128 bits. Teams will also need to produce final proofs of a maximum of 300 KB and document precisely how their various proof systems work together.

The next major deadline is approaching in early December. Before that, researchers still need to improve several cryptographic building blocks. One of them is now in the spotlight.

A Gap of 52.14 Bits Remains Open {#h-a-gap-of-52-14-bits-remains-open}

The site better.codes is organizing a competition where researchers can try to improve or attack a parameter called koalaIRS12. The dashboard currently displays two figures. The lower security bound reaches 63.99 bits. The upper bound drops to 116.13 bits. Between the two: 52.14 bits still unresolved.

These values do not mean that Ethereum is currently operating with only 63.99 bits of security. The benchmark measures a precise cryptographic profile used in research on proof systems. Not the entire network.

This precision matters as Ethereum wants to make Zero-Knowledge a much larger part of its architecture. The competition works both ways. Some researchers are trying to raise the security bound by providing new mathematical proofs. Others are looking for attacks that could lower the upper limit.

Nine results from seven researchers had already been selected as of August 21. The goal is to gradually reduce the space between the two. Full zkEVMs will require more. The various components, proof recursion, and the correspondence between mathematical models and the actual code used will still need to be verified. December is approaching.

The Current Ethereum Network Does Not Yet Depend on These Proofs {#h-the-current-ethereum-network-does-not-yet-depend-on-these-proofs}

The tight schedule does not mean that a flaw threatens Ethereum transactions today. The zkEVMs in question do not yet replace the normal functioning of consensus. In the current phase, their proofs can accompany mainnet testing. Classic execution clients continue to recalculate transactions before validators attest to the blocks.

Ethereum still has its usual functioning. The situation will change if zk proofs ever become reliable enough to replace part of this re-execution. This is precisely why the Ethereum Foundation insists so much on the 128 bits.

An accepted false proof at layer 1 could have much more serious consequences than a bug in an application. It could theoretically allow for the validation of an incorrect state of the network. The protocol is already multiplying efforts around this issue. In July, Ethereum notably deployed AI agents to automatically search for critical vulnerabilities. The zkEVMs now follow the same principle. Proving quickly, Ethereum already knows how to do it. The challenge remains to prove without leaving any doubt.

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