Post-Quantum Cryptography for Embedded Systems

At the moment, communication between electronic systems is secured by means of cryptography to achieve confidentiality, integrity and authenticity. Almost all wide-spread cryptosystems are at least partially based on number-theoretic  assumptions related to integer factorization or computing discrete logarithms in finite groups. A major problem is that Peter Shor developed a polynomial-time algorithm that factors integers and computes discrete logarithms. The only reason why we can still use methods based on these problems for security is that Shor's algorithm requires a sufficiently large quantum computer and that this does not exist, yet. However, progress in theoretical and applied physics is bringing such a computer within reach for the next decade or two. Therefore, experts caution that it is high time to switch systems to using cryptography based on different mathematical assumptions that are not broken by quantum computers.

Post-quantum cryptography (PQC) is cryptography under the assumption that the attacker has a large quantum computer. Current proposals on PQC produce data objects that are larger than for our currently deployed systems, which might cause trouble with the bandwidth of input or output. Furthermore, real-world applications need to combine these building blocks into a larger sequence of operations, called a cryptographic protocol, summing up to even larger data objects and often enough, require special properties. While these requirements  are challenging for notebooks, smartphones, desktop computers, and internet  servers, they pose a significant burden on small computing devices, so called embedded devices, that are implanted into today's technology like cars,  refrigerators, and industry appliances.

The goal of this workshop is to tackle the challenges of PQC for embedded devices. The workshop will bring together researchers from academia and industry to jointly identify the problems of PQC for applications in embedded devices and start exploring solutions. The most important outcome of the  workshop will be the initialization of lasting collaborations between industry as one of the user groups of PQC and researchers that develop and implement PQC. This will allow to communicate requirements from industrial use cases, and to identify the limitations of existing proposals. In the longer run, we expect that the initiated collaborations lead practical solutions that enable post-quantum security for embedded devices.