Post-quantum cryptography

About the project

About the Project The threat posed by the imminent advent of quantum computers has led to the development of a new branch of cryptography: post-quantum cryptography. The goal of post-quantum cryptography is to design cryptosystems that are not only resistant to quantum computers but also capable of interoperating with our digital infrastructure. Among the post-quantum solutions suggested so far, isogeny-based cryptography has attracted particular attention thanks to its appealing features such as its striking compactness. As its name suggests, it relies on isogenies, special maps between elliptic curves, or more generally, between abelian varieties. The objective of this PhD project is to develop new techniques and algorithms for post-quantum cryptography, with a particular emphasis on isogeny-based cryptography. Research topics include the cryptanalysis and efficient implementation of isogeny-based cryptosystems, as well as the design of post-quantum cryptographic schemes with advanced functionalities. Requirements: A master's degree (or, for exceptionally strong candidates, a bachelor's degree) in computer science, mathematics or a closely related field. Excellent communication skills. Previous exposure to any area of cryptography is desirable. For further details on the entry requirements, see the Computer Science PhD admissions information: https://www.birmingham.ac.uk/study/postgraduate/subjects/computer-science-and-data-science-courses/computer-science-phd

Research areas