International Association
for Cryptologic Research

Constraint Programming for Cryptanalysis of Symmetric Encryption Schemes

• Location: LIMOS, Clermont-Ferrand, France
• Salary: 2000€
• Duration: 1 year
• Keywords: Cryptanalysis symmetric, constraint programming, SAT solving, ILP.
• Starting date: As soon as possible, when we have a good candidate; at least before October 2020.

Your Profile

• A PhD in Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Cryptography or related field.
• Competitive research record in symmetric cryptography or in constraint programming.
• Commitment, team working and a critical mind.
• Good written and verbal communication skills in English are essential.

This post-doc is founded by the ANR project Decrypt started in January 2019.

Transforming a theoretical cryptanalysis into a SAT problem or into a set of linear constraints could be a hard and time-consuming task. Our aim is to use constraint programming (CP) to simplify the way the symmetric key attacks are modeled and thus to overpass existing cryptanalytic results. Preliminary studies are really encouraging.

Goal

The main goal is to identify schemes and attacks for which it is possible to use off-the-shelf CP, SAT or ILP approaches. To achieve this goal, the work will be divided into the following tasks.

1. Study symmetric encryption schemes and identify for several schemes the different components that are used in the scheme design.
2. Design CP, SAT, and ILP models for cryptanalytic problems on selected schemes. We will mainly focus on the following attacks: cube attacks, conditional cube attacks with division property, (related-key) differential and linear cryptanalysis, word-based division property / integral distinguisher.
3. Experimentally evaluate CP, SAT, and ILP solvers on the models designed in previous tasks, and compare these solvers with existing dedicated cryptanalysis approaches. Design of a tool to automate this task is one of the goals of the project.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Pascal Lafourcade [email protected]

More information: https://decrypt.limos.fr/post/postdoc-offer-limos/

A Ph.D. position is open in université Jean Monnet. This Ph.D project aims to develop novel techniques that can protect cryptographic implementations against side-channel attacks and fault attacks. The protection studied will be mainly algorithmic protection, with experimental evaluation of their effectiveness and efficiency. Various directions can be explored with respect to the candidate background.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Vincent Grosso

PQSecure Technologies, LLC is a growing startup company active in the area of post-quantum cryptographic engineering with focus on embedded and IoT devices. PQSecure is currently funded by National Science Foundation SBIR Phase II fund and is an active participant of National Institute of Standards and technology (NIST) for post-quantum cryptography. We are looking for a postdoc/research scientist with post-quantum cryptography and implementations experience and relevant publication records. Candidates should hold a PhD in Computer science/engineering, or electrical engineering, or applied mathematics with excellent programming skills and cryptographic protocol design. PQSecure offers a competitive hiring package including, 401k, health insurance, stock option, 3 weeks of PTO, travel reimbursement for relevant conferences, and etc.). The position is for one year with possibility of renewal based on the performance of the candidate. The salary will be $87,000 per year. PQSecure is located in the beautiful city Boca Raton, FL. The deadline for applications is February 15, 2020. The position will be open until filled.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Dr. Reza Azarderakhsh razarder[a/t]pqsecurity.com

We are living in an era where everything is connected, thus continuously generating, acquiring and processing a huge amount of data. Users may enjoy a diversity of assisted services, personalised applications and targeted recommendations. However, spread concerns about users' privacy are arising.

We are seeking a highly motivated PhD candidate to work in privacy-preserving algorithms and protocols. The proposed topics include (but are not limited to):

- Post-quantum privacy-enhancing techniques

- Privacy-preserving machine learning/deep learning modelling for IoT personalised applications

- Privacy-preserving computation for distributed learning.

We look favourably on applicants who can demonstrate a knowledge of cryptography, machine learning, information security and who have strong programming and mathematical skills. Within your statement, please make sure to discuss which area of research you are interested in and your academic background to support this. In the first instance, candidates can discuss applications with Dr Nesrine Kaaniche via email ([email protected]).

Required Qualifications: Good first degree in Computer Science If English is not your first language, you must have an IELTS score (or equivalent) of 6.5 overall, with no less than 6.0 in each component.

Funding Details: The studentship will cover tuition fees at the Home/EU rate and provide an annual stipend at the standard RCUK rates for three and a half years.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Dr. Nesrine Kaaniche ([email protected])

2 PhD positions are provided in College of Big Data, Taiyuan University of Technology (TYUT), China. The research topics include but not limited to: blockchain, IoT security, data security, and applied cryptography.

Taiyuan University of Technology (TYUT), which was one of the first three national universities in China, was established in 1902. TYUT now has 30960 undergraduates, 7017 postgraduates and 762 doctoral students.

Scholarship for graduates from TYUT: tuition fees will be waived, and the monthly living allowance will be provided. Scholarship and admission details can be found in the pdf file from this link: http://ciee.tyut.edu.cn/info/1016/3205.htm

Application deadline: open until the positions are filled. All successful candidates are expected to start in September 2020.

Interested applicants are advised to email the following documents to [email protected]. (1) CV, (2) Reference letters, (3) Personal statement, (4) School transcripts, (5) Publications if possible.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Prof. Xin Huang, Email: [email protected]

PhD internship with research interest in cybersecurity is available in SUTD, especially on the topics of cyber-physical and IoT system security, applied cryptography and blockchain security. The attachment will be at least 3 months. Allowance will be provided for local expenses.

Interested candidates please send your CV with a research statement to Prof. Jianying Zhou.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Jianying Zhou ([email protected])

More information: http://jianying.space/

The Faculty of Electrical Engineering, Computer Science and Mathematics has two full-time research assistant positions in the area of System Security.

Our group provides a relaxed and inspiring working atmosphere allowing you to address challenging research problems or to develop new cool attacks on well-used cryptographic implementations.

Your profile:

• Academic degree in Informatics, Mathematics, or a related area; ideally (but not mandatory) with a specialization in the area of IT security or cryptography
• High interest in research in IT security or applied cryptography
• Solid know-how in at least one of these areas:
  • Applied cryptography (e. g., protocols like TLS or SSH)
  • System security (e. g., fuzzing, reverse engineering or microarchitectural attacks)
  • Web security

Deadline: 2nd March 2020. More information at: https://www.uni-paderborn.de/fileadmin/zv/4-4/stellenangebote/Kennziffer4190Englisch.pdf

Closing date for applications:

Contact: For further details about the position, you can contact Juraj Somorovsky.

More information: https://www.uni-paderborn.de/fileadmin/zv/4-4/stellenangebote/Kennziffer4190Englisch.pdf

Singapore University of Technology and Design (SUTD) is a young university which was established in collaboration with MIT. iTrust is a Cyber Security Research Center with 10+ multi-discipline faculty members from SUTD. It has the world’s best facilities in cyber-physical systems (CPS).

I am looking for postdocs & research fellows with expertise on cyber-physical system security. The candidates should have track record of strong R&D capability, be a good team player, and also have good written/oral communication skills. The positions are available immediately, and will provide an excellent opportunity to perform both basic and translational research in close collaboration with industry. Successful candidates will be offered internationally competitive remuneration, and enjoy high-quality living and low tax rates in Singapore.

Interested candidates please send your CV with a research statement to Prof. Jianying Zhou. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted for interview.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Prof. Jianying Zhou ([email protected])

More information: http://jianying.space/

Télécom Paris, one of the top four engineering schools in France for training general engineers and PhDs, invites application for a tenured position of Professor in Cryptography. The successful candidate will join the Computer Science and Networks department of the school and will be at the center of a unique innovation ecosystem on the Paris-Saclay Campus.

Details about this job offer can be found on :

https://www.telecom-paris.fr/job-offer-professor-cryptography

The closing date for applications is April 12, 2020.

Informal enquiries may be made to Bertrand Meyer ([email protected])

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Bertrand Meyer [email protected]

More information: https://www.telecom-paris.fr/job-offer-professor-cryptography

The Cryptography, Coding and Information Transmission Group at the University of Tartu, Estonia, is looking for a doctorate student for a project on coding for flash memories. The ideal candidate will have strength in one or more of the following areas:
• Any area related to coding theory
• Combinatorics
• Algebra
• Probability theory
• Algorithms and programming.
The income is at least 1060 euro per month (net) plus social benefits. Some travel money will also be available. Cost of living in Estonia is relatively low, see e.g. https://www.ut.ee/en/welcome/international-students and http://www.expatistan.com/cost-of-living . A successful candidate should:
• Hold a Master’s degree or equivalent before the start of studies (Fall 2020)
• Have a strong background in mathematics, computer science or a related field.
To apply, please submit the following documents (by email):
• Application letter
• Research statement (preliminary plan)
• Curriculum vitae
• Publication list or example publication / thesis (optional)
• Copies of documents about academic degrees
• Two letters of reference (make sure they reach us by the application deadline).
Deadline for applications: 24th February 2020. Do not hesitate to contact us in case of questions. Contact: Ago-Erik Riet, e-mail agoerik at ut.ee, see https://www.etis.ee/Portal/Persons/Display/fa2b849b-a7cb-4463-aefd-01603d27ebc6?tabId=CV_ENG , https://www.ut.ee/en/kontakt/matemaatika-statistika-instituut and http://cit.cs.ut.ee/ . For a formal advertisement please also see: https://www.ut.ee/en/phd-mathematics .

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Ago-Erik Riet

In the context of the Almacrypt ERC, CISPA has several postdoctoral positions related to the study of cryptographic hard problems.
The proposed topics are discrete logarithms and factoring, lattice reduction, multivariate equation systems, elliptic curves and combinatorial problems of cryptographic relevance.
Strong applicants in symmetric cryptography might also be considered.
Candidates should have a PhD in Cryptology, Number theory or theoretical Computer Science.
The application should contain a research program for the desired length of the position (up to three years).
All applications should be through the provided web-interface.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Antoine Joux

More information: https://jobs.cispa.saarland/jobs/detail/post-doc-in-mathematical-and-or-algorithmic-cryptography-38

In the context of the Almacrypt ERC, CISPA has several phD positions related to the study of cryptographic hard problems. The proposed topics are discrete logarithms and factoring, lattice reduction, multivariate equation systems, elliptic curves and combinarial problems of cryptographic relevance.
Candidates should have a strong background in Mathematics or theoretical Computer Science. Knowledge of cryptology would be a plus.
The application should specify (and justify) the specific domain of interest of the candidate.
All applications should be through the provided web-interface.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Antoine Joux

More information: https://jobs.cispa.saarland/jobs/detail/phd-in-mathematical-and-or-algorithmic-cryptography-39

As part of a special measure towards increasing female employment in scientific positions and promoting young researchers, the Faculty of Informatics at the TU Wien invites applications for two full time Assistant Professor positions (tenure track) for women.
The candidates should have an excellent research record, experience in working with industry, relevant postdoctoral experience, and a compelling research vision.
Applications are welcome from any field of computer science. We are particularly interested in candidates working in areas that will complement our existing expertise and lead to fruitful collaborations with other members of the faculty and TU Wien in general. In particular, researchers in security, privacy, and cryptography are encouraged to apply.
Deadline for applications is March 8, 2020. More information (including a dedicated brochure) is available at https://informatics.tuwien.ac.at/job-01201

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Matteo Maffei

The ST Engineering-SUTD Cyber Security Laboratory @ SUTD looks for one Postdoctoral Fellow position and one Research Assistant position, for a project on the security of avionics systems with emphases on the aircraft data bus and network technologies.

 

Post-Doc

Requirements:

• Ph.D. in Computer Science or related areas;
• Background in Security, Software Engineering, and/or Data Science;
• Track record of publications in high-quality journals and/or conferences;
• Good written/oral communication skills in English, and ability to work effectively in a collaborative team;
• Skills and experience in both analytical and empirical research;
• Programming skills in one or more of the following: Python, Java, C++;
• Interest to work in:
  1. Avionics data bus and network technologies
  2. Computer and network security
  3. Attack emulation
  4. Machine learning with application to intrusion detection

 

Research Assistant

Requirements:

• Master degree in Computer Science or related areas;
• Strong programming skills in one or more of the following: Python, Java, C++;
• Familiarity with (i) applied software and/or systems security, and (ii) machine learning;
• Good written/oral communication skills in English, and ability to work effectively in a collaborative team;
• Interest to work in:
  1. Avionics data bus and network technologies
  2. Computer and network security
  3. Attack emulation
  4. Machine learning with application to intrusion detection

 

A full-time appointment will be offered for one year renewable. SUTD offers an internationally competitive salary that will be determined based on the applicant's experience and qualifications.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Interested persons please email with a cover letter and updated curriculum vitae to [email protected] . Positions will be available until filled; only short-listed candidates will be notified.

About

Our mission at Zama is to protect people’s privacy by preventing data breaches and surveillance.

Our first product is a deep learning framework that enables fast and accurate inference over encrypted data, without any changes to the neural network architecture.

We believe privacy-enabling technologies should benefit the widest possible community of developers and security researchers, which is why everything we create will be published and open-sourced.

Zama is founded by Pascal Paillier and Rand Hindi

Responsibilities

discovering new cryptographic techniques to compute on encrypted data

working with the engineering and product teams to implement your research into our products

design robust benchmarks to test your research and its implementation

review the latest published research, and inform the team on potential new applications or changes to our approach

work with the entire team to define the research and product roadmaps

publishing papers, filing patents and presenting your work at academic conferences

Requirements

PhD in cryptography or equivalent

deep knowledge of homomorphic encryption

optionally knowledge of machine learning

be based in or willing to relocate to Paris, France

passionate about privacy and open science

Closing date for applications:

Contact: [email protected]

More information: https://zama.ai/jobs/senior-researcher-cryptography/

We are hiring one more junior postdoc, for two years, to work on blue-sky research, real world crypto, cryptanalysis, side channels, or interdisciplinary studies of crypto-system failures. Positions available immediately with internationally competitive salaries and first-rate research support, but start dates are negotiable.

Our track records include award-winning papers at Usenix Security, ACM CCS, ACSAC and SOUPS; making a finalist for the Pwnie Award for most innovative research; and trailblazing a number of subjects such as usable security and differential imaging forensics.

Our research philosophy: have fun; write papers that matter; and make an impact.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Prof [email protected]

We are looking for candidates for 2 - 3 Research Fellow positions on cryptography for the following topics: • Post-quantum cryptography • Homomorphic encryption • Secure multiparty computation • Verifiable Computation We offer a competitive salary package commensurate with applicant's research experience. The contract will be for 1 year initially with the possibility to be extended up to 3 years. Candidates are expected to have proven record of publications. Interested candidates are encouraged to send their CV and name two references to Prof Wang Huaxiong. Review of applicants will start immediately until the positions are filled.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Wang Huaxiong ([email protected])

OneSpan is seeking applications for highly motivated and self-driven research scientists to complement its Innovation Centre team currently working on cutting-edge research in security, privacy, machine learning and digital identity. The Innovation Centre was established to research and prototype the next generation of digital technologies to improve online security. The centre is characterised by a collaborative and entrepreneurial mind-set and brings together researchers from different disciplinary backgrounds. We seek to make technological advances in areas ranging from OneSpan’s core business of strong authentication, to areas of growing importance such as fraud detection, privacy and digital identity. Our work aims to generate new scientific knowledge, prototypes, and intellectual property that can be transferred into products. We also aspire to be a leading academic-industry partner of choice on emerging technologies related to online security. Our driving ambition is to create novel technologies that carefully consider the user experience and exhibit the strong security that our customers have come to expect. Job Duties and Responsibilities The objective of the research scientist is to conduct applied research linked to OneSpan’s product range with the aim of enhancing OneSpan’s offering in the short and mid-term. Your key tasks are: Propose research agenda; Perform first-class research; Create research software prototypes that could lead to new products; Show leadership in your field of expertise; Work collaboratively in a team that spans international borders and departments; Responsibilities Must haves A PhD degree or equivalent experience in information engineering, mathematics, computer science. Candidates expected to finish their PhD before summer 2020 will also be considered. Strong proven interest and knowledge of one or more of these research areas: security, privacy, digital identity, biometrics, and machine learning; A willingness to learn and the ability to quickly understand unfamiliar areas of technology;

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Talent Acquisition (Julie Tinel). Thank you for applying via our website.

More information: https://grnh.se/b666606f1

The Dean of the Faculty of Informatics, Masaryk University, invites applications for one position of Assistant Professor in Cybersecurity, with the Department of Computer Systems and Communications.

Applications due: March 1, 2020

Employment start date: By mutual agreement

This position is aimed to strengthen the work of the Centre for Research on Cryptography and Security (CRoCS - https://crocs.fi.muni.cz/) at the Faculty of Informatics. CRoCS works to improve security and privacy of real-world solutions through applied research (often in cooperation with industry) and advanced education of future security professionals. System security or network security focus are most desired, yet the abilities to work with a team of graduate students and faculty on research targeting top security/crypto conferences and to engage both undergraduate and graduate students in both educational and research exercises are most critical.

Masaryk University, the second largest university in Czech Republic, is one of the most respected institutions of higher education in Central Europe, with more than 30 000 students. Its Faculty of Informatics (FI) provides Computer Science education for 2 000 students and hosts almost 20 labs where researchers and students perform leading-edge research, often in cooperation with companies located in the science and technology park directly in the FI area.

Brno is a great place to live. As an international student city (1/5 of the population are students), there is always something to do and the Czech language isn’t a barrier. Brno, as one of the top student cities of the world, according to Quacquarelli Symonds, provides a great student experience: “The city gets extremely strong ratings for tolerance and inclusivity, and ease of getting around, while also scoring very well for both affordability and nightlife. Respondents praised the attractiveness of the city, as well as the large and friendly student community.”

Note - and if looking for a postdoc position, please consider https://www.muni.cz/en/about-us/careers/vacancies/52171.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Vashek Matyas

More information: https://www.muni.cz/en/about-us/careers/vacancies/51351

The Cryptography and Privacy Research Group at Microsoft Research seeks outstanding graduate students for summer internships in Redmond in the areas of Homomorphic Encryption, Post-Quantum Cryptography, Zero-knowledge Proofs, Private Set Intersection, Privacy for ML, Blockchain-based applications, Compilers, Verifiable Computation, Oblivious RAM, Privacy-preserving systems, applied Secure Multi Party Computation, Differential Privacy, and other areas of applied cryptography.

Responsibilities: Interns put inquiry and theory into practice. Alongside fellow doctoral candidates and some of the world’s best researchers, interns learn, collaborate, and network for life. Interns not only advance their own careers, but they also contribute to exciting research and development strides. During the 12-week internship, students are paired with mentors and expected to collaborate with other interns and researchers, present findings, and contribute to the vibrant life of the community. Research internships are available in all areas of research, and are offered year-round, though they typically begin in the summer.

Qualifications In addition to the qualifications below, you’ll need submit a minimum of two reference letters for this position. After you submit your application, a request for letters may be sent to your list of references on your behalf. Note that reference letters cannot be requested until after you have submitted your application, and furthermore, that they might not be automatically requested for all candidates. You may wish to alert your letter writers in advance, so they will be ready to submit your letter.

Required Qualifications: Must be currently enrolled in a PhD program in mathematics, computer science, electrical engineering, or a related STEM field.

Preferred Qualifications: Demonstrated ability to engage in research. Must be able to collaborate effectively with other researchers and product development teams. Excellent interpersonal skills, cross-group, and cross-cultural collaboration. Ability to think unconventionally to derive creative and innovative solutions.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Please apply through https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/job/724755/Research-Intern-Cryptography-and-Privacy-Research?utm_campaign=google_jobs_apply&utm_source=google_jobs_apply&utm_medium=organic

More information: https://careers.microsoft.com/us/en/job/724755/Research-Intern-Cryptography-and-Privacy-Research?utm_campaign=google_job