# The "Private Data" Attestation: Merkle Roots

## Understanding Private Data Attestations

Think of it like this: When you get a document notarized, the notary doesn't keep a copy of your document. Instead, they create a unique seal or stamp that proves they saw the real document. The seal doesn't contain any of your personal information, but it proves the document was verified.

A Merkle root hash is like that seal, but even more secure. It's like a unique fingerprint of your document - but it's a one-way fingerprint. Just like you can't reconstruct a person from their fingerprint, you can't reconstruct your document from its hash.

The hash is only useful when paired with a special cryptographic proof document, otherwise it is just a random number. Proofs are generated when you want to prove a fact from the original document, allowing you to choose which specific data to reveal. It's like saying, "Here's my date of birth from my passport, and here's proof on the blockchain that Zipwire witnessed me with that very document."

## How It Works in Zipwire

#### The Process

1. Document Submission: You provide your identity document to Zipwire
2. Verification: We verify the document's authenticity
3. Hash Creation: We create a Merkle root hash (like a digital fingerprint) of your document
4. Attestation: We attest to this hash on the blockchain
5. Proof Generation: When needed, you can generate cryptographic proofs to verify specific attributes

### Privacy in Action

When we attest to your document's hash on the blockchain, it's like the notary putting their seal on a record of your document's fingerprint. The blockchain only stores this fingerprint, not your actual document.Later, if you need to prove something about your document, you can use a special cryptographic proof. This is like having a receipt that shows your document matches the fingerprint that was attested to, without revealing the document itself. It's similar to how you might prove you own a house by showing a deed, without revealing your bank statements or other private information.

## Benefits

### For You

* Complete Privacy: Your actual document never leaves your control
* Selective Disclosure: Prove specific facts without revealing everything
* Universal Verification: The attestation can be verified anywhere
* No Repeated Checks: Avoid going through ID verification multiple times

### For Platforms

* Trusted Verification: Can verify your information without seeing it
* Regulatory Compliance: Meet requirements while respecting privacy
* Fraud Prevention: Cryptographic proofs ensure data hasn't been tampered with

## Common Use Cases

#### Age Verification

Prove you're over 18 by revealing the date of birth from your passport, without revealing any of your other passport information

#### Nationality Verification

Confirm your nationality without sharing your full name or address

#### Professional Credentials

Verify qualifications without exposing personal details

#### Proof of income

Show your salary coming into your bank account without showing any other lines from the statement

## How to Get Started

1. Connect Your Wallet: Link your Ethereum wallet to Zipwire
2. Submit Document: Provide your identity document for verification
3. Wait for Verification: We'll verify your document
4. Claim Attestation: Add the attestation to your wallet
5. Generate Proofs: Create specific proofs when needed

## How to Get Private Data Attestations

### Self-Service Option

{% content-ref url="../../../zipwire-attest/zipwire-attest" %}
[zipwire-attest](https://docs.zipwire.io/zipwire-attest/zipwire-attest)
{% endcontent-ref %}

You can obtain Private Data attestations through our self-service platform, Zipwire Attest:

* **Independent registration** - No business account required
* **Direct wallet connection** - Connect your Ethereum wallet and get attested
* **Document verification** - Submit your passport and other documents for verification
* **Merkle root attestations** - Get cryptographic attestations of your documents
* **Selective disclosure** - Generate proofs to reveal specific information

### Business Integration Option

Private Data attestations can also be obtained through Zipwire Collect when businesses include ID checks in their document collections:

* **Free attestations** - Users can claim attestations for free (business pays for ID check)
* **Same verification process** - Uses the same document verification
* **Wallet connection required** - Users must connect their wallet to the collection
* **Same attestations** - Receive the same Private Data attestations

{% hint style="info" %}
**Choose Your Path**

For individual users wanting to build their digital identity with document attestations, use **Zipwire Attest**. For users completing business document collections that include ID checks, use **Zipwire Collect** and claim free attestations.
{% endhint %}

## Technical Details

For those interested in the technical aspects:

* The Merkle root hash is created using a cryptographic hash function
* The attestation is recorded on the Base blockchain
* All attestations are viewable on EAS Scan on the Base blockchain

## Learn More

* [Understanding Merkle Trees and Proofs](https://docs.zipwire.io/fundamentals/security/understanding-merkle-trees-and-proofs)
* [Verifying Attested Wallets](https://docs.zipwire.io/fundamentals/security/wallet-verification-guide/verifying-attested-wallets)
* [EAS Explorer on Base](https://base.easscan.org/schema/view/0x20351f973fdec1478924c89dfa533d8f872defa108d9c3c6512267d7e7e5dbc2)

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