Paving the way to enable Post-Quantum Cryptography in 6G network applications and protocols

• Grant number: 25/00929-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate
• Start date: May 01, 2025
• End date: February 28, 2027
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Computer Science - Computer Systems
• Principal Investigator: Marco Aurelio Amaral Henriques
• Grantee: Caio Teixeira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação (FEEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Company: Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Faculdade de Engenharia Elétrica e de Computação (FEEC)
• Associated research grant: 21/00199-8 - SMART NEtworks and ServiceS for 2030 (SMARTNESS), AP.PCPE

Abstract

Cryptography is a core technique for communication security, allowing the protection of in-transit data, providing authenticity and integrity, and many other features. However, quantum computers will break all current standardized public-key algorithms due to Shor's algorithm. To counter this threat, post-quantum cryptography has flourished to the point of standardization, and is now currently under adoption. Even so, there are still challenges to overcome. Post-quantum cryptography has higher computation and communication costs, and not every feature provided by classical algorithms can be immediately transposed to post-quantum, meaning a number of applications and protocols cannot adopt post-quantum security yet. This project aims to provide tailored solutions to overcome such challenges in the context of 6G networks, as quantum computers are expected to be a real threat during its lifetime.