Projects

Crossing P1 - DFG

The goal of Project P1 “Future Public-Key Encryption and Signature Schemes” within the DFG CRC CROSSING is the development of cryptographic primitives that can withstand quantum attackers. The focus of our research group lies in the security of said primitives. This encompasses quantum security reductions as well as analyzing the resistance with respect to side-channel and fault attacks. Furthermore, we are involved in the cryptanalysis of both isogeny and lattice problems to estimate their hardness which, combined with a security reduction, allows to derive concrete parameters.

The project is in the third and final phase which started in July 2022 and lasts for 4 years.

Contact person: Samed Düzlü

6G-RIC - BMBF

In the 6G Research and Innovation Cluster (6G-RIC), we develop new technologies for the next wireless communication generation (6G). Security is one of the main research topics: cryptographic schemes that are secure against quantum computers must be included in the 6G-architecture. In Regensburg, we are going to adapt, include and analyze lattice-based schemes, notably against side-channel attacks. The 6G-RIC project is funded by the BMBF. It was initiated in summer 2021 and is going to end in summer 2025.

Contact person: Michael Meyer

Quant-ID - BMBF

The project Quant-ID aims at the development of reliable digital and quantum-secure identities and the quantum-resistant authorization of users in an IAM architecture (Identity Access Management). To this end, currently used network protocols will be modified, such that quantum random number generators and post-quantum cryptography ensure quantum resistance. The project is funded by BMBF, began in September 2022, and is expected to end in August 2025.

Contact person: Maximiliane Weishäupl

CROWD - DFG

The goal of the project CROWD is to study skew metrics and their potential cryptographic applications. These metrics generalise the so-called rank metric which has important applications in the fields of algebraic coding theory, in cryptography, data storage, and network coding. It incorporates French and German researchers with the common objective to develop post-quantum cryptography based on skew codes and skew metrics. The project is funded by the DFG (together with the ANR), began in March 2023, and is expected to end in February 2026.

Contact person: Thomas Aulbach

QUORYPTAN - BMBF

The BMBF-funded project QUROYPTAN is a follow-up project on Aquorypt (see former projects). As with Aquorypt, the focus of QUORYPTAN is to bring post-quantum cryptography into use. While in Aquorypt the problems considered have been more foundational, this project aims towards two specific real-world applications. The project develops targeted cryptographic solutions that are analyzed with respect to theoretic and physical security. We develop agile migration paradigms to enable modular adaptation when cryptographic protocols become vulnerable to newly developed attacks.

Contact person: Harrison Banda

QUDIS - BMBF

In the project QUDIS (Quantum Secure Digital Rail) we research how post-quantum cryptography (PQC) can be integrated into Deutsche Bahn's security architectures. As the rail network is modernised to digital interlockings, the communication within the rail network also needs to be renewed in order to provide protection against quantum attacks in the future.
Specifically, our research group is working on the selection and implementation of PQC techniques for the german railway network.
The BMBF-funded project started in early July 2024 and should be completed by the end of June 2027.

Contact person: Stеfan Windеrl

SEQUIN - BMBF

The SEQUIN research project aims at developping new security proofs/models (or improving existing ones) for Continuous Variable Quantum Key Distribution (CV-QKD), in a context where Europe develops industry ready standards for QKD.

In particular, the project aim at developping countermeasures against side channel attacks. That is, attacks leveraging discrepancies between theoretical models and practical implementations in order to behave in an unexpected way with respect to the security proof.

The project started mid-october 2024 and is planned to run until end 2027.

Contact person: Antoine Gansel

QuantumRISC - BMBF - 09/2019 - 06/2023

The research project QuantumRISC aims at analyzing, improving, and subsequently implementing post-quantum schemes for microcontrollers. The project consortium is composed of seven partnering universities, companies, and institutes. It is financed by the BMBF (the Federal Ministry of Education and Research).

The project began in September 2019 and ended in June 2023.

Aquorypt - BMBF - 09/2019 - 02/2023

Aquorypt is a BMBF funded project which aims to apply post-quantum cryptography in microprocessors and embedded systems. Our research group participates in this process by analyzing theoretical foundations that are required to make post-quantum schemes applicable in frameworks with restricted hardware capacities. Further, we investigate side-channel security of schemes applied in these contexts.

The project began in September 2019 and ended in February 2023.

Quantum Security of Cryptographic Algorithms - bidt - 10/2022 - 08/2023

“Quantum Security of Cryptographic Algorithms” is a research project funded by the bidt. The scope of the project is security of cryptographic primitives against quantum computers. A particular focus is on symmetric cryptographic primitives that are lightweight. Another focus of the project is on quantum security notions which grant adversaries full quantum access to cryptographic primitives.

The project started in October 2022 and ended in August 2023 as the principal investigator and our former colleague Patrick Struck started his own research group at the University of Konstanz.