common reference string model

In cryptography, the common reference string (CRS) model captures the assumption that a trusted setup in which all involved parties get access to the same string crs taken from some distribution D exists. Schemes proven secure in the CRS model are secure given that the setup was performed correctly. The common reference string model is a generalization of the common random string model, in which D is the uniform distribution of bit strings. As stated in,Ran Canetti and Marc Fischlin; Universally Composable Commitments; Cryptology ePrint Archive: Report 2001/055 [http://eprint.iacr.org/2001/055 (link)] the CRS model is equivalent to the reference string model Marc Fischlin, Roger Fischlin: Efficient Non-malleable Commitment Schemes. CRYPTO 2000: 413–431 [https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00145-009-9045-2 (link)] and the public parameters model.Ivan Damgård: Efficient Concurrent Zero-Knowledge in the Auxiliary String Model. EUROCRYPT 2000: 418–430 [https://www.iacr.org/cryptodb/data/paper.php?pubkey=2246 (link)]

The CRS model has applications in the study of non-interactive zero-knowledge proofs and universal composability.