Project description
Overcoming the engineering challenges of post-quantum cryptography
Espionage and cybercrime represent critical threats to digital society. Cryptography is at the core of protection mechanisms, but universal quantum computers are for the most part able to break it. Transitioning current cryptographic algorithms to ones that resist attacks by large quantum computers represents a major challenge for applied cryptography. International efforts are underway to assess concrete proposals of this post-quantum cryptography for standardisation and deployment. The EU-funded EPOQUE project will focus on the engineering challenges of post-quantum cryptography, examining how different real-world cryptographic protocols can facilitate its performance characteristics.
Objective
"Our digital society critically relies on protection of data and communication against espionage and cyber crime. Underlying all protection mechanisms is cryptography, which we are using
daily to protect, for example, internet communication or e-banking. This protection is threatened by the dawn of universal quantum computers, which will break large parts of the
cryptography in use today. Transitioning current cryptographic algorithms to crypto that resist attacks by large quantum computers, so called ""post-quantum cryptography"", is possibly the
largest challenge applied cryptography is facing since becoming a domain of public research in the second half of the last century. Large standardization bodies, most prominently ETSI and
NIST, have started efforts to evaluate concrete proposals of post-quantum crypto for standardization and deployment. NIST's effort follows in the tradition of successful public ""crypto
competitions"" with strong involvement by the academic cryptographic community. It is expected to run through the next 5 years.
This project will tackle the engineering challenges of post-quantum cryptography following two main research directions. The first direction investigates implementation characteristics of
submissions to NIST for standardization. These include speed on various platforms, code size, and RAM usage. Furthermore we will study so-called side-channel attacks and propose suitable
countermeasures. Side-channel attacks use information such as timing or power consumption of cryptographic devices to obtain secret information. The second direction is about protocol
integration. We will examine how different real-world cryptographic protocols can accommodate the drastically different performance characteristics of post-quantum cryptography, explore
what algorithms suit best the requirements of common usage scenarios of these protocols, and investigate if changes to the high-level protocol layer are advisable to improve overall system
performance."
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: The European Science Vocabulary.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques. See: The European Science Vocabulary.
- natural sciences computer and information sciences internet
- natural sciences computer and information sciences computer security cryptography
- engineering and technology electrical engineering, electronic engineering, information engineering electronic engineering computer hardware quantum computers
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Keywords
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
Project’s keywords as indicated by the project coordinator. Not to be confused with the EuroSciVoc taxonomy (Fields of science)
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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H2020-EU.1.1. - EXCELLENT SCIENCE - 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.
ERC-STG - Starting Grant
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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-2018-STG
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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.
6525 XZ Nijmegen
Netherlands
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.