Objective
Cryptography is the foundation of modern communication: privacy, critical infrastructure, and the digitization of industry, economy, and healthcare depend on it. The transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC) introduces both opportunities and challenges. Advancements in the design of post-quantum primitives have been significant, their concrete deployment in protocols remains challenged by real-world implementation constraints, security concerns, and interoperability challenges.
This project builds on the ERC-funded REWOCRYPT project, which focused on bridging the gap between theoretical cryptographic security analysis and real-world applications. To extend these findings into practice, this PoC project focuses on protocol-level hybridization, leveraging the Rosenpass protocol as a research platform. Unlike traditional approaches that integrate PQC at the primitive level, protocol-level hybridization may provide post-quantum security without requiring extensive modifications to widely deployed cryptographic systems.
The project will develop, analyze, and implement secure cryptographic combiners that allow for the integration of PQ and classical protocols. A key objective is to evaluate whether hybrid security guarantees hold in real-world deployment scenarios and whether protocol combiners provide an effective approach for a smooth post-quantum transition. The research will include a formal security analysis, practical implementation, and testing within the Rosenpass-WireGuard ecosystem. We will assess security properties under both classical and quantum adversarial models, ensuring cryptographic agility to be able to address future algorithmic improvements or attacks.
Beyond technical innovation, this PoC aligns with European cybersecurity and digital sovereignty goals. Open-source implementation and collaboration with the non-profit organization Rosenpass e.V. ensure rapid practical impact, while casting a foundation for future research and standardization.
Fields of science (EuroSciVoc)
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: https://op.europa.eu/en/web/eu-vocabularies/euroscivoc.
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Programme(s)
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
Multi-annual funding programmes that define the EU’s priorities for research and innovation.
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HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC)
MAIN PROGRAMME
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Topic(s)
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Calls for proposals are divided into topics. A topic defines a specific subject or area for which applicants can submit proposals. The description of a topic comprises its specific scope and the expected impact of the funded project.
Funding Scheme
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
Funding scheme (or “Type of Action”) inside a programme with common features. It specifies: the scope of what is funded; the reimbursement rate; specific evaluation criteria to qualify for funding; and the use of simplified forms of costs like lump sums.
HORIZON-ERC-POC - HORIZON ERC Proof of Concept Grants
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Call for proposal
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
Procedure for inviting applicants to submit project proposals, with the aim of receiving EU funding.
(opens in new window) ERC-2025-POC
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Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.
42119 Wuppertal
Germany
The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.