Research
- Post-Quantum Cryptography - PQC
This project has the goal to study the impact of quantum computing on
public key cryptography, and to formulate recommendations for
the use of cryptographic techniques in the post-quantum age.
There are efficient quantum algorithms for sufficiently large quantum
computers that break all widely used public-key cryptosystems. The
project spells out how large security parameters have to be chosen in
order to resist attack by quantum computers of given size.
Since traditional public-key cryptography becomes inefficient at large
key sizes, the project undertakes a study of security and efficiency of
various alternative classes of cryptosystems, in particular hash and lattice based
and multi-variate quadratic system based methods.
In 2008 Johannes Buchmann coorganizes the PQCrypto 2008.
Projects
- Flexible Public-Key Infrastructures and Aplications - PKI
Public-Key Infrastructures (PKI) enable confidential, authentic and non-repudiable communication in digital networks like the internet. We examine, how such PKIs can be integrated into already existing contexts and workflows. We thereby focus on a flexible design which is capable of exchanging the underlying cryptographic algorithms and which can be tailored to the needs of certain scenarios. Another topic of research is the usability of PKIs. This aims at how such an infrastructure should be integrated with applications and how this integration can support the secure usage of the PKI's services. Our third area of interest deals with digital identities that can be established on basis of PKI technology.
Details - Projects
- Attacks and Cryptanalysis
Know your adversary - wield his tools. Our research focus does not only lie on cryptography but also encompasses the cryptanalysis of both symmetric and assymetric crypto systems. Our attack methodologies do not stop on the algorithmic level but also take into account possible implementation deficiencies of real-life systems. Two fields we specialize in are side channel attacks and algebraic cryptanalysis.
- Electronic Voting
This field of research comprises the following issues: Based on the analysis of current online voting protocols we design new ones. Furthermore, we investigate which technical and organizational conditions must be satisfied in order to allow for secure implementation of online elections. We also focus on analyzing the requirements regarding long-term retention of electronic election data and seek for new possibilites to implement legal requirements technically.
Project
