IACR News
Here you can see all recent updates to the IACR webpage. These updates are also available:
14 March 2019
Santa Barbara, USA, 22 August - 24 August 2019
Submission deadline: 31 May 2019
Notification: 21 June 2019
13 March 2019
Tenured Full Professor, Tenure-Track Associate Professor, Tenure-Track Assistant Professor, Post-Doc
Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai, China
The school now has 20 open positions on the cyberspace security including 1) tenured full professors, 2) tenure-track associate professors, 3) tenure-track assistants professors, 4) full-time research fellows and postdoctoral. Applicants should have (a) a doctoral degree in Computer Science, Electronic Engineering, Communication, Mathematics, Statistics, Physics closely related to cyberspace security; (b) an established track record in research and scholarship; (c) expertise in the abovementioned 10 strategic research areas; and (d) a demonstrated commitment to excellence in teaching. We sincerely invite academic talents engaged in research related to cyberspace security from both abroad and domestic to join us. The school will provide highly competitive remuneration packages, superior research conditions and high-quality graduate students. We will assist to apply for various national, provincial and ministerial level talent programs. The university will also assist on employment of spouses, schooling for children and medical care.
Please refer to the link: http://english.seiee.sjtu.edu.cn/english/info/14810.htm
Closing date for applications: 15 August 2019
Contact: Dawu GU, Professor/Head of School of the CSE
Email: dwgu (at) sjtu.edu.cn
Identiq
The company is developing a unique solution, based on cryptographic protocols and multi-party computation techniques, which allows users to be validated without compromising their privacy.
The company was founded by Itay Levy, a serial entrepreneur with multiple exits in his past, Ido Shilon the general manager of Nielsen Exelate, and Uri Arad PayPal Israel’s Chief Technologist. The company closed its first financing round, with participation by strong Israeli and US investors.
Responsibilities
The job responsibilities include the design and analysis of cryptographic primitives and a full protocol involving multi-party-computation techniques, as well as bringing the protocol from design to implementation. You will be collaborating with our world-renown cryptography advisors and our top-tier technology teams. You will be inventing new encryption schemes, design computationally, and communication efficient protocols, and will be writing proofs of security and privacy under various adversary models.
This is a full-time position, reporting directly to the company’s head of research.
Qualifications
- Strong background in multi-party computation and homomorphic encryption
- Theoretical and applied experience in cryptographic protocols design
- Cryptographic protocol design and analysis
- M.Sc. in mathematics, computer science, or similar field, with specialization in cryptography and security. PhD an advantage
- Programming in C/C++/Java/C#/Go or similar languages
- Experience in protocol simulation and verification tools an advantage
Interested candidates should submit their resumes to jobs (at) identiq.com
Closing date for applications: 31 March 2019
Telecom ParisTech and Telecom SudParis (campus of Saclay, Paris area)
Blockchain, security and privacy issues
The first 6 months consist in delivering a state of the art, plus refining on research objectives. Here are three examples of further specific topics:
A. Anonymization and micropayment channels
Such transactions appear only in a consolidated form in the blockchain. They can be managed by smart contracts, or payment providers, which have a privileged view on these transactions. A point of interest is anonymization and description of possible attacks on anonymity. A long term goal could be designing tools for monitoring and de-anonymisation.
B. Security analysis of the network layer of blockchain
The underlying network of can leak information on the identity of the users/participants. Such analysis was done on the Bitcoin network, but cannot be generalized. The research would consist in selecting another relevant example then analyzing in depth availability / performance / anonymization. Possible tools are tomography of networks, topology analysis or e.g. addresses links.
C. Fully anonymous blockchains
Contrary to Bitcoin [ACM18], Zcash and Monero enable fully anonymous paiments [OM18]. Ethereum on its side makes possible multiparty pooling of transactions [Meiklejohn & Mercer PETS18]. It could be interesting to quantify the practical usage and weaknesses of these tools [Usx18]. Getting used to monitoring tools will be usefull, as well as technological watch (including social media: reddit, discord, medium, telegram or blogs).
[ACM18] S. Meiklejohn and al. A Fistful of Bitcoins: Characterizing Payments Among Men with No Names. Communications ACM.
[OM18] C Orlandi and S Meiklejohn. QuisQuis: A New Design for Anonymous Cryptocurrencies.
[Usx18] G. Kappos and al. An Empirical Analysis of Anonymity in Zcash. 27th USENIX Security Symposium.
Closing date for applications: 31 August 2019
Contact: Please send your resume and/or questions to Gerard Memmi : gerard.memmi \'at\' telecom-paristech.fr
Department of Computing, the Hong Kong Polytechnic University
Candidates are expected to have completed a PhD in computer science or a related discipline (in particular, candidates with a background from biotech or chemical engineering will also be considered); or with significant experience in applied research and knowledge transfer activities.
The appointee is expected to take charge of the development of the system. He/she will assume senior level of responsibility, including project management, supervising of project personnels, communicate with relevant academia staff members and meeting regularly with our industry partners.
The position is funded by the project titled \"Blockchain-Based Food and Drug Counterfeit Detection and Regulatory System\" funded by the Innovation and Technology Commission of Hong Kong.
Closing date for applications: 30 April 2019
Contact: Man Ho Allen Au
More information: http://www4.comp.polyu.edu.hk/~csallen
IT University of Copenhagen
Project: Cryptographic Protocols for Scalable Privacy Preserving Blockchains
Current blockchain consensus protocols underpinning the security of cryptocurrencies and smart contracts suffer from a number of bottlenecks that severely limit the transaction throughput of such systems. Moreover, the few cryptocurrencies that offer strong privacy guarantees are not compatible with the current techniques for achieving higher throughputs. Besides scalability concerns, current privacy preserving cryptocurrencies and smart contracts are also incompatible with legal financial regulations since they do not allow for lawful audits.
The successful candidate will work on a project aiming at solving these issues by means of more efficient consensus protocols and multiparty computation techniques. We will investigate efficient cryptographic protocols for two main tasks: (1) scalable blockchain based consensus compatible with privacy preserving cryptocurrencies and (2) accountable privacy preserving cryptocurrency and smart contract systems that adhere to financial regulations. The research will be focused on developing new provably secure frameworks for building such protocols with high concrete efficiency.
This project will be carried out in cooperation with the Concordium Foundation.
Qualifications:
We are looking for motivated candidates with a background in discrete mathematics and/or theoretical computer science. Experience with distributed systems or cryptography will be considered an advantage. Candidates should have an MsC degree (or equivalent) or a BsC degree plus one year of Master level studies (equivalent to 4 years of studies).
Closing date for applications: 25 March 2019
Contact: Bernardo David, Associate Professor, beda (at) itu.dk
More information: https://candidate.hr-manager.net/ApplicationInit.aspx?cid=119&ProjectId=181022&DepartmentId=3439&MediaId=5
Eindhoven University of Technology, the Netherlands
The department of Mathematics and Computer Science at TU/e has opened a broad hiring call in mathematics. Cryptography is not mentioned explicitly in the call but is located in the mathematics side of the department and thus eligible.
The cryptographers at TU/e would be happy to see good applications in crypto. Given the exisiting crypto group https://www.win.tue.nl/cc/, researchers at tenure track or assistant professor level are particularly encouraged to apply.
Note that applications must be submitted via the webpage. Application by email is not possible.
Closing date for applications: 1 April 2019
Contact:
- Tanja Lange (t.lange (at) tue.nl) for questions regarding cryptography
- Prof. Dr. Barry Koren for general questions about the department (as listed on the job opening page)
- Mrs. Marjolein von Reth, HR Advisor for personnel questions (as listed on the job opening page)
More information: https://jobs.tue.nl/nl/vacature/faculty-members-mathematics-assistant-associate-and-full-professors-439183.html
IBM Research - Zurich
Particular topics of interest include, but are not limited to
Blockchains and distributed-ledger technologies
Verifiable computing and zero-knowledge proofs
Foundations & solutions for real-world cryptography.
The position is available immediately. The successful candidate will enjoy an internationally competitive salary and work in a collaborative and creative group in an exclusive research environment.
The Industry Platforms and Blockchain group at IBM Research – Zurich offers an exciting research environment with the opportunity to collaborate with researchers working on various aspects of security and cryptography, including blockchain, lattice-based cryptography, provably secure protocol design and system security.
Cooperation with other academic and industry researchers within IBM as well as acquisition of external research funding, such as European grants (including ERC), is also possible and encouraged.
The positions offer the opportunity to live in the Zurich area, which is consistently ranked as one of the world’s top five cities with the highest quality of life.
Requirements
Candidates are required to have a PhD in Computer Science, Mathematics, or related field by the time of appointment and an outstanding research record, demonstrated in the form of publications at top cryptography or security conferences (Crypto, Eurocrypt, CCS, S&P etc.).
Diversity
IBM is committed to diversity at the workplace. With us you will find an open, multicultural environment. Excellent flexible working arrangements enable both women and men to strike the desired balance between their professional development and their personal lives.
Closing date for applications: 20 December 2019
Contact: Please send your application including Ref No. 2019_10 to:
Judith Blanc
jko (at) zurich.ibm.com
HR Business Partner
IBM Research – Zurich
Säumerstrasse 4
8803 Rüschlikon
Switzerland
More information: https://www.zurich.ibm.com/careers/
Crypto Group - University of Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France)
In view of its ongoing development, the crypto group of the University of Versailles St-Quentin-en-Yvelines (France) invites applications for the following full-time position.
A faculty position at the tenured Assistant Professor (\"Maître de Conférences\") level is open to highly qualified candidates who are committed to a career in research and teaching. Preference will be given to candidates with strong research achievements in one or several of the areas related to the general fields of cryptology and/or information security.
Responsibilities include research, supervision of undergraduates and graduate students, preparation and management of research projects, and teaching in various study programs.
How to apply? Read carefully all the information on the official webpage below (in French). In summary:
- Registration of applications on the GALAXIE portal is open until Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 16h (Paris time).
- Once the inscription on GALAXIE validated, an identifier and a password are automatically generated and sent within 48 hours after this registration, to the e-mail address indicated on GALAXIE.
- The upload of the complete application file must then be made on the UVSQ portal no later than Tuesday, March 26, 2019 at 23:59 (Paris time).
IMPORTANT NOTE: A \"qualification aux fonctions de Maître de Conférences\" certificate from to the french \"Conseil National des Universités\" is usually required to apply. However candidates who already hold an Assistant Professor (or equivalent) position may be exempted from this certificate.
Closing date for applications: 26 March 2019
Contact:
Louis GOUBIN, Full Professor, head of the \"Cryptology and Information Security\" group
louis.goubin (at) uvsq.fr
More information: https://tinyurl.com/y4c4vwl9
Nanyang Technological University, Singapore
We are soliciting candidates to have an sound knowledge in cryptography and outstanding background in digital/system design, including relevant experience in managing large-scale projects in C/C++/VHDL/Verilog. Candidates with prior industrial experience and familiarity with commercial processor architectures are preferred.
Review of applications starts immediately and will continue until the position is filled.
Closing date for applications: 31 December 2019
12 March 2019
Carl Bootland, Wouter Castryck, Alan Szepieniec, Frederik Vercauteren
Concretely, we study generalizations of hard problems such as SIS, LWE and NTRU to free modules over quotients of \(\mathbb{Z}[X]\) by ideals of the form \((f,g)\), where \(f\) is a monic polynomial and \(g \in \mathbb{Z}[X]\) is a ciphertext modulus coprime to \(f\). For trivial modules (i.e. of rank one) the case \(f=X^n+1\) and \(g = q \in \mathbb{Z}_{>0}\) corresponds to ring-LWE, ring-SIS and NTRU, while the choices \(f = X^n- 1\) and \(g = X - 2\) essentially cover the recently proposed Mersenne prime cryptosystems. At the other extreme, when considering modules of large rank and letting \(\deg f = 1\) one recovers the framework of LWE and SIS.
Phillipp Schoppmann, Adria Gascon, Mariana Raykova, Benny Pinkas
We propose sparse data structures together with their corresponding secure computation protocols to address common data analysis tasks while utilizing data sparsity. In particular, we define a Read-Only Oblivious Map primitive (ROOM) for accessing elements in sparse structures, and present several instantiations of this primitive with different trade-offs. Then, using ROOM as a building block, we propose protocols for basic linear algebra operations such as Gather, Scatter, and multiple variants of sparse matrix multiplication. Our protocols are easily composable by using secret sharing. We leverage this, at the highest level of abstraction, to build secure end-to-end protocols for non-parametric models ($k$-nearest neighbors and naive Bayes classification) and parametric models (logistic regression) that enable secure analysis on high-dimensional datasets. The experimental evaluation of our protocol implementations demonstrates a manyfold improvement in the efficiency over state-of-the-art techniques across all applications.
Our system is designed and built mirroring the modular architecture in scientific computing and machine learning frameworks, and inspired by the Sparse BLAS standard.
Sam Kim
Although the notion of MA-ABE is a natural extension of the standard ABE, its realization has so far been limited. Indeed, all existing MA-ABE constructions rely solely on bilinear maps and can only support predicates that are computable by monotone boolean formulas. In this work, we construct the first collusion-resistant MA-ABE scheme that can support circuit predicates from the Learning with Errors (LWE) assumption. Our construction works in a new model that we call the OT model, which can be viewed as a direct relaxation of the traditional GID model that previous MA-ABE constructions consider. We believe that the new OT model is a compelling alternative to the traditional GID model as it captures the core requirements for an MA-ABE scheme. The techniques that are used to construct MA-ABE in this model can also be used as a stepping stone towards constructing MA-ABE in the stronger GID model in the future.
Alex Lombardi, Luke Schaeffer
This observation simplifies the cryptographic assumptions required for some protocols that utilize non-interactive commitments and removes the need for ad-hoc constructions of non-interactive commitments from specific assumptions such as Learning with Errors.
Navneet Agarwal, Sanat Anand, Manoj Prabhakaran
We uncover a rich class of algebraic structures that are closely related to secure computability, namely, Commuting Permutations Systems (CPS) and its variants. We present an extensive set of results relating these algebraic structures among themselves and to MPC, including new protocols, impossibility results and separations. Our results include a necessary algebraic condition and slightly stronger sufficient algebraic condition for a function to admit information-theoretically secure MPC protocols.
We also introduce and study new models of minimally interactive MPC (called UNIMPC and UNIMPC*), which not only help in understanding our positive and negative results better, but also open up new avenues for studying the cryptographic complexity landscape of multi-party functionalities. Our positive results include novel protocols in these models, which may be of independent practical interest.
Finally, we extend our results to a definition that requires UC security as well as semi-honest security (which we term strong security). In this model we are able to carry out the characterization of all computable functions, except for a gap in the case of aggregating functionalities.
Sihem Mesnager , Chunming Tang , Maosheng Xiong
The purpose of this paper is to present a brief state-of-the-art on the notion of boomerang uniformity of vectorial Boolean functions (or Sboxes) and provide new results. More specifically, we present a slightly different but more convenient formulation of the boomerang uniformity and prove some new identities. Moreover, we focus on quadratic permutations in even dimension and obtain general criteria by which they have optimal BCT. As a consequence of, two previously known results can be derived, and many new quadratic permutations with optimal BCT (optimal means that the maximal value in the Boomerang Connectivity Table equals the lowest known differential uniformity) can be found. In particular, we show that the boomerang uniformity of the binomial differentially $4$-uniform permutations presented by Bracken, Tan, and Tan equals $4$. Finally, we show a link between the boomerang uniformity and the nonlinearity for some special quadratic permutations.