Grant: Alliance Grants
University of Waterloo
$827,551.00
Accelerating the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography
FY 2023-24
Summary
Quantum computers pose an existential threat to the security and privacy of our communication infrastructure due to their ability to break the public key cryptography algorithms used to establish secure communication channels. The design of quantum-resistant cryptography algorithms is underway, but it is a long path to bring an algorithm from an academic design to real-world adoption. Canadian companies and governments will need to transition to quantum-resistant cryptography over the next decade. The goal of this project is to accelerate the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography by providing research results that close the gap between what is provided by the literature and what is needed in practice, and give Canadian companies and governments a head-start in the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography.This project will develop methods to provide quantum-resistant confidentiality and quantum-resistant authentication using a variety of cryptographic techniques, including post-quantum cryptography, information-theoretic cryptography, and quantum key distribution. Researchers from the University of Calgary and the University of Waterloo along with partners from the City of Calgary, Entrust, RBC, and TELUS will work together to find solutions that work in real-world settings across a variety of sectors, provide interoperable, open-source software implementations, and participate in standardization at relevant standards bodies. We will construct demonstrations of quantum-resistant cryptography systems, building on the University of Waterloo's expertise in post-quantum cryptography and the University of Calgary's quantum key distribution testbed, to enable us to provide guidance to decision makers around Canada on how to safely transition to quantum-resistant cryptography and ensure a safe and secure Internet for Canadian citizens, businesses, and governments. Students and post-doctoral researchers involved in the project will be trained as experts in an emerging area of cybersecurity that will be a critical need for industry and governments.
Program
Alliance Grants
Recipient
Location
Ontario, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
578463-2022
Name nom
Stebila, Douglas DJ
Department département
Combinatorics and Optimization
Organization id
33
Institution établissement
University of Waterloo
Province en
Ontario
Province fr
Ontario
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2023
Competition year année de concours
2022
Award amount
827551
Program id
ALLRP
Program name en
Alliance Grants
Program name fr
Subventions Alliance
Group en
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
Group fr
PARTENARIATS DE RECHERCHE
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
1207
Area of application group en
Advancement of knowledge
Area of application group fr
Avancement des connaissances
Area of application en
Information, computer and communication technologies
Area of application fr
Technologie de l'information, des ordinateurs et des réseaux de communications
Research subject code
3153
Research subject group en
Theoretical physics and chemistry
Research subject group fr
Classical and quantum physics
Research subject en
Physique et chimie théoriques
Research subject fr
Physique classique et quantique
Application title
Accelerating the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography
Keyword
cryptography; network security; post-quantum; public key infrastructure; quantum key distribution; quantum-resistant
Application summary
Quantum computers pose an existential threat to the security and privacy of our communication infrastructure due to their ability to break the public key cryptography algorithms used to establish secure communication channels. The design of quantum-resistant cryptography algorithms is underway, but it is a long path to bring an algorithm from an academic design to real-world adoption. Canadian companies and governments will need to transition to quantum-resistant cryptography over the next decade. The goal of this project is to accelerate the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography by providing research results that close the gap between what is provided by the literature and what is needed in practice, and give Canadian companies and governments a head-start in the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography.This project will develop methods to provide quantum-resistant confidentiality and quantum-resistant authentication using a variety of cryptographic techniques, including post-quantum cryptography, information-theoretic cryptography, and quantum key distribution. Researchers from the University of Calgary and the University of Waterloo along with partners from the City of Calgary, Entrust, RBC, and TELUS will work together to find solutions that work in real-world settings across a variety of sectors, provide interoperable, open-source software implementations, and participate in standardization at relevant standards bodies. We will construct demonstrations of quantum-resistant cryptography systems, building on the University of Waterloo's expertise in post-quantum cryptography and the University of Calgary's quantum key distribution testbed, to enable us to provide guidance to decision makers around Canada on how to safely transition to quantum-resistant cryptography and ensure a safe and secure Internet for Canadian citizens, businesses, and governments. Students and post-doctoral researchers involved in the project will be trained as experts in an emerging area of cybersecurity that will be a critical need for industry and governments.
