This talk introduces Discrete CKKS, a framework that extends the approximate FHE scheme CKKS to support exact integer arithmetic. It achieves this through a hybrid bootstrapping technique that both cleans noise and raises the modulus, enabling a high-throughput, vectorized engine for general-purpose discrete computations on encrypted data.
This talk by Sanjay Deshpande from Northwestern University explores the critical transition to Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQC) in response to the threat quantum computers pose to current public-key algorithms. It provides a deep dive into the Hamming Quasi-Cyclic (HQC) algorithm, a code-based candidate for NIST standardization. The session focuses on the challenges and innovations in creating efficient and secure hardware implementations of HQC, covering performance optimization for polynomial multiplication and countermeasures against side-channel attacks.
Matthew Keesan from IonQ discusses the imminent arrival of "Q-Day"—the moment quantum computers will break current public-key encryption. He explains the fundamentals of quantum computing, including superposition and entanglement, details the hardware roadmap that places this threat within the decade, and explores the promising applications of this new computing paradigm in AI, drug discovery, and materials science, issuing a call to action for software engineers to get involved.
Explore the significant security risks posed by Agentic AI and quantum computing, from data breaches of sensitive information to the breakdown of modern cryptography. Learn proactive strategies for governing AI and preparing for a quantum-safe future.
Amey Shukla from the University of Connecticut presents a novel system for biometric key derivation that closes the long-standing gap between the theory and practice of device-level authentication. The talk introduces a practical fuzzy extractor system, "Zeta then Lock," which, combined with an integrated machine learning feature extractor, achieves 105 bits of entropy with a 92% true accept rate for iris biometrics, overcoming the "more errors than entropy" problem that plagued previous designs.
Carmela Troncoso from EPFL discusses her collaboration with the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) to digitalize humanitarian aid distribution. She advocates for a paradigm shift from data minimization to "purpose limitation," designing systems that are structurally incapable of being misused, even if the data is accessed. The talk details a practical, low-cost, and connectivity-resilient system built on this principle, using smart cards and cryptographic techniques to protect vulnerable aid recipients while meeting the operational needs of the ICRC.