Design and Application of Codes for Post-Quantum Cryptography

• Applicants: Professor Dr.-Ing. Georg Sigl, since 4/2019; Professorin Dr.-Ing. Antonia Wachter-Zeh
• Subject Area: Electronic Semiconductors, Components and Circuits, Integrated Systems, Sensor Technology, Theoretical Electrical Engineering
• Term: from 2019 to 2023
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 415543807

This project aims at improving code- and lattice-based public-key cryptography (PKC) with the goal to obtain efficient and secure post-quantum systems. It is based on the development of new coding theory suitable for these two types of post-quantum cryptosystems. Our goals are hereby: i) improving the key, ciphertext and signature sizes; ii) enhancing the reliability of the decryption process; and iii) providing resistance to algorithmic, side-channel, and fault attacks.The most severe drawback of code- and lattice-based post-quantum secure systems compared to traditional cryptography are the significantly larger key, ciphertext and signature sizes. To turn post-quantum systems practical, these numbers must be decreased while meeting the security levels specified by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST).In this project, we will focus on algebraic codes and LWE/Ring-LWE lattices. We estimatethe quality of the result by metrics such as: key, ciphertext, signature sizes, together with code rates, the security level and resistance to implementation attacks. We will explore potential codes and develop new code constructions that are suitable for the requirements by both, code- and lattice-based post-quantum cryptography.Central to this project is to approach post-quantum cryptography from theory and imple-mentation point of views. The theory will provide new systems with smaller key sizes and larger code rates (for the same security level) than currently possible and analyze existing systems for their algorithmic security. The implementation will develop methods, architectures and tools to efficiently implement code- and lattice-based protected cryptosystems able to resist side-channel and fault attacks. The main tool of this project are error-correcting codes as they play a crucial role in the design of code-based and lattice-based cryptosystems. This includes, amongst others, rank-metric codes, polar codes, interleaved codes, and modifications of LDPC codes.

• DFG Programme: Research Grants
• Ehemalige Antragstellerin: Martha Johanna Sepulveda Florez, Ph.D., until 3/2019