International Association
for Cryptologic Research

Advancements in deep learning (DL) not only revolutionized many aspects in our lives, but also introduced privacy concerns, because it processed vast amounts of information that was closely related to our daily life. Fully Homomorphic Encryption (FHE) is one of the promising solutions to this privacy issue, as it allows computations to be carried out directly on the encrypted data. However, FHE requires high computational cost, which is a huge barrier to its widespread adoption. Many prior works proposed techniques to enhance the speed performance of FHE in the past decade, but they often impose significant memory requirements, which may be up to hundreds of gigabytes. Recently, focus has shifted from purely improving speed performance to managing FHE’s memory consumption as a critical challenge. Rovida and Leporati introduced a technique to minimize rotation key memory by retaining only essential keys, yet this technique is limited to cases with symmetric numerical patterns (e.g., -2 -1 0 1 2), constraining its broader utility. In this paper, a new technique, Adaptive Rotation Key (ARK), is proposed that minimizes rotation key memory consumption by exhaustively analyzing numerical patterns to produce a minimal subset of shared rotation keys. ARK also provides a dual-configuration option, enabling users to prioritize memory efficiency or computational speed. In memory-prioritized mode, ARK reduces rotation key memory consumption by 41.17% with a 12.57% increase in execution time. For speed-prioritized mode, it achieves a 24.62% rotation key memory reduction with only a 0.21% impact on execution time. This flexibility positions ARK as an effective solution for optimizing FHE across varied use cases, marking a significant advancement in optimization strategies for FHE-based privacy-preserving systems.

The newly formed research group on Foundations of Cryptography at University of Vienna is looking for a PhD candidate interested in theoretical aspects of cryptography. In particular, the candidate will work with Karen Klein-Azari (https://foc.ethz.ch/people/karenklein.html) on topics related to provable security of cryptographic schemes.

The position is fully funded for 4 years with a starting date on 1st of March 2025 (the precise date is negotiable). If you are interested, please find more information on the website of University of Vienna, following the link above.
Application Deadline: 24.12.2024

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Karen Klein-Azari PhD (karen.azari@cs.univie.ac.at)

More information: https://jobs.univie.ac.at/job/University-assistant-predoctoral/1148095101/

Event date: 29 June to 4 July 2025
Submission deadline: 30 January 2025
Notification: 15 February 2025

Telecom Paris is looking for an Associate/Assistant Professor in cybersecurity.

Within the Computer Science and Networks (INFRES) department, the Cryptography and Cybersecurity (C2) team aims to develop skills in various areas of cybersecurity, including (i) security mechanisms for future wireless networks (6G, IIoT, ITS-G5, etc.), (ii) solutions tailored to the security of virtualized architectures and cloud infrastructures, and (iii) advanced detection mechanisms and effective automatic responses to cyberattacks.

Regarding teaching, Telecom Paris has very great needs in cybersecurity, whether to give courses or to manage teaching units. The Associate/Assistant professor recruited will strengthen the school's ability to coordinate, design and implement courses on the security of IT networks and systems, for example in the cloud, radio communications and vehicular networks. It is also expected that the recruited she/he will be able to take part in the general computer science courses taught in the first year.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Sébastien Canard

More information: https://institutminestelecom.recruitee.com/l/en/o/assistantassociate-professor-in-cybersecurity

Koç University College of Engineering invites applications for full-time faculty positions in Computer Science and Engineering starting in Fall 2025. We seek outstanding candidates with significant contributions in all computer science and engineering research areas.

The ideal candidate will have a visionary research agenda, an exceptional research and publication track record, and a strong commitment to academic excellence and innovation. The successful candidate will demonstrate dedication to undergraduate and graduate education and foster an inclusive learning environment.

Koç University is a private, non-profit institution in Istanbul, Türkiye, where English is the medium of instruction. It hosts the highest number of European Research Council (ERC) Grant recipients in Türkiye and continues to secure the largest research funding from Horizon 2020. The university provides a vibrant interdisciplinary research environment, including the Koç University School of Medicine, Hospital, Translational Medicine Research Center (KUTTAM), and Koç University Is Bank Artificial Intelligence Research Center (KUIS AI). Koç University is home to Türkiye’s largest GPU cluster, providing advanced infrastructure for leading-edge AI research.

The Department of Computer Science and Engineering at Koç University has world-renowned faculty with extensive awards and projects on both national and international levels. Our faculty is a national leader in AI research and is equally strong in high-performance computing (HPC), security, and networks, with a unique emphasis on interdisciplinary work that bridges AI and medicine. For more information about the department and its faculty, please visit cs.ku.edu.tr.

Koç University offers a competitive salary and benefits package, including housing support, private insurance, K-12 education support, and research startup funding.

Application Deadline: Evaluation of applications will begin on January, 20th and continue until all open positions are filled. All applications will be treated confidentially. Apply online via the link: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/29250

Closing date for applications:

Contact: engineering@ku.edu.tr

More information: https://academicjobsonline.org/ajo/jobs/29250

The Center for Security and Privacy at the School of Computer Science of the University of Birmingham has an open PhD position in post-quantum cryptography. The supervision will be shared by Rishiraj Bhattacharyya and Christophe Petit. We invite applications from candidates with interests in Cryptography and Computer Algebra. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in Mathematics, Computer Science, Physics or a related area.

The primary research theme for the call is in the foundations and cryptanalysis of post-quantum cryptosystems. The exact projects could be tailored to match the candidate's background and interests.

The review of applications will start immediately and the call remains open until 28 February 2025. For more information, contact Rishiraj Bhattacharyya (r.bhattacharyya@bham.ac.uk) and Christophe Petit (c.petit.1@bham.ac.uk).

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Rishiraj Bhattacharyya (r.bhattacharyya@bham.ac.uk) and Christophe Petit (c.petit.1@bham.ac.uk)

Event date: 23 May 2025
Submission deadline: 31 January 2025
Notification: 28 February 2025

Event date: 25 June 2025
Submission deadline: 7 March 2025

Event date: 18 April 2025
Submission deadline: 31 December 2024
Notification: 31 January 2025

Xiamen University Malaysia is now seeking highly motivated, committed and qualified individuals for academic teaching positions in computer science and cyber security.

Candidates in computer science and cyber security are welcome to apply. The ideal candidate is expected to be able to support general computing subjects, as well as cyber security specialization subjects. Applicants must possess their first (Bachelor's) degree in computing and PhD in a related discipline.

Applicants with specific teaching and research interests in one or more of the following areas from each group are encouraged to apply:

Cybersecurity

• Network Traffic Monitoring and Analysis
• Malware Analysis
• Cryptanalysis
• Biometrics
• Blockchain Technology
• Cyber Security Laws and Regulations

Computing

• Programming (C, C++, Java)
• Discrete Math
• Data Structure
• Design and Analysis of Algorithms
• Computer Networks and Communication
• Operating Systems
• Big Data Analytics

HOW TO APPLY
Applicants are invited to submit a digital application to recruit_academic@xmu.edu.my and iftekhar.salam@xmu.edu.my. All applications must include the following attachments:

1. Your detailed and current CV with publication (*Asterisk to indicate corresponding author, include Indexing & Quartile);
2. Cover letter;
3. List of courses from the above that the candidate can support;
4. Evidence of academic qualifications (Bachelor, Master & PhD Certificate; Bachelor, Master & PhD Transcripts and Professional Certificates);
5. 3-5 Full-Text publications (if applicable);
6. Teaching evaluation (if applicable);
7. Two academic references (at least one of them is the applicant’s current/most recent employer).

The positions will remain open until filled, but priority will be given to applications received by 13 December 2024.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Iftekhar Salam

We are inviting applications for a PhD studentship in the cryptography lab at King’s College London. Specifically, we are looking for an applicant to work with us in the area of lattice-based cryptography. We are particularly interested in the study of and constructions from new lattice-based assumptions and privacy-preserving technologies based on lattices.

The PhD could cover studying the underlying hard mathematical problems, cryptanalysis, constructions or applications of lattice-techniques. This can cover post-quantum aspects of lattice-based cryptography and/or advanced functionalities.

The applicant would work with Martin Albrecht, Ngoc Khanh Nguyen and/or Eamonn Postlethwaite. We encourage applicants to reach out to Martin to discuss the position informally before applying.

Fine print. This is a fully-funded positions covering both fees and maintenance. The latter is at the UKRI rate. Funded by UKRI Frontier Research. We seek applicants with a strong background in mathematics and/or computer science. We will consider applications on a rolling basis.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Martin Albrecht (martin.albrecht@kcl.ac.uk)

More information: https://martinralbrecht.wordpress.com/2024/11/29/phd-position-in-lattice-based-cryptography/

The post-quantum cryptography research group at the Department of Software Systems and Cybersecurity, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash University, Australia, has 3 fully funded Ph.D. student scholarship openings for research projects funded by Australian Research Council - Discovery Projects 2025, including in particular the following areas:

• Developing tools and techniques for FHE-based private cloud computation applications.
• Theory and applications of zk-SNARKS in FHE-based cloud computation.
• Secure and Efficient Implementations of zk-SNARK and FHE schemes and their applications.

Students will have the opportunity to work in an excellent research environment and collaborate with experts in cryptography and with Cryptolab industry partners.

Monash University is among the leading universities in Australia and is located in Melbourne, ranked as Australia's most liveable city and among the most liveable cities in the world.

Applicants should have (or be expected to complete in the next 12 months) a Masters or Honours equivalent qualification with a research thesis, with excellent grades in mathematics, theoretical computer science, cryptography, engineering or closely related areas. They should have excellent English verbal and written communication skills. Programming experience and skills, especially in Sagemath, Python, Magma, and/or C/C++, are also highly desirable.

To apply: please send a copy of your CV and all your transcripts (bachelor and/or master) by 1st Feb 2025 to

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Amin Sakzad (amin.sakzad@monash.edu)

Ethereum Foundation launches a big initiative aimed to boost the third-party cryptanalysis of the Poseidon hash function. It provides bounties for breaking reduced-round versions, awards for research papers describing theoretical attacks, and grants for detailed investigation of certain gaps in the existing analysis. The total fund is $500 000.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Ethereum Foundation Poseidon Group

More information: https://www.poseidon-initiative.info/

We are offering fully funded PhD opportunities at the University of Sheffield, UK. Requirements for Ph.D. Position • Completed Master’s degree (or equivalent) at a top university in information security, computer science, applied mathematics, electrical engineering, or a similar area • Research experience (such as publishing papers as a first author in reputable venues) • Self-motivated, reliable, creative, can work in a team and wants to do excellent research on challenging scientific problems with practical relevance How to apply? Please send me your CV with detailed information. Contact: Dr Aryan Pasikhani aryan.pasikhani@sheffield.ac.uk

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Dr Aryan Pasikhani aryan.pasikhani@sheffield.ac.uk

The CyLab Security and Privacy Institute at Carnegie Mellon University is leading a university-wide priority hiring search for tenure-track faculty who focus on security or privacy and will be appointed in relevant academic departments throughout the university.

CyLab is a university-wide umbrella organization that works to catalyze, support, promote, and strengthen collaborative security and privacy research and education across departments, disciplines, and geographic boundaries to achieve significant impact on research, education, public policy, and practice. Successful applicants will be appointed in the most relevant department or jointly in two departments, depending on research focus and needs.

CyLab welcomes applicants with research and teaching interests that fit within the broad computer security and privacy space. Areas of interest include, but are not limited to, systems security, software security, hardware security, applied cryptography, usable privacy and security, security and privacy policy, national and international cybersecurity policy, economics of security and privacy, security and privacy of AI/ML and using AI/ML for security and privacy, blockchain security and privacy, security for cyber physical systems, security and privacy of robotics and autonomous systems, and privacy engineering.

We are especially interested in candidates with diverse backgrounds and a demonstrated commitment to excellence and leadership in research, undergraduate and graduate teaching, and service towards building an equitable and diverse scholarly community.

Carnegie Mellon considers applicants for employment without regard to, and does not discriminate on the basis of, gender, race, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and any additional legally protected status.

Applications should be submitted through the CyLab Interfolio site by December 11, 2024: https://apply.interfolio.com/151331 Opens in new window. Applications may be shared with members of any of the participating departments. See https://www.cylab.cmu.edu/about/hiring.html for more information.

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Lujo Bauer or Sarah Scheffler, cylab-faculty-search@andrew.cmu.edu

More information: https://www.cylab.cmu.edu/about/hiring.html

Riverside Research is an independent National Security Nonprofit dedicated to research and development in the national interest. We provide high-end technical services, research and development, and prototype solutions to some of the country’s most challenging technical problems. All Riverside Research opportunities require U.S. Citizenship. The cryptographer will contribute to a team responsible for researching and developing cryptographic solutions. They will be expected to conduct in-depth mathematical analysis of cryptographic protocols and cryptographic primitives. Moreover, they will be expected to develop, test, debug, and push both code and documentation. Additionally, they should have demonstrable experience in one high-level language (e.g., Python, MATLAB) and C/C++.  Additionally, they should have the writing skills necessary to communicate their ideas and results to internal and external stakeholders. Furthermore, they will also contribute to technical marketing and proposal writing in their research area in addition to interfacing with team members across Riverside Research locations. Job Responsibilities: -Develop, test, optimize and verify cryptographic algorithms -Perform in-depth mathematical/statistical analysis on algorithms and their output -Integrate algorithms into larger security solutions -Contribute to whitepapers and/or published papers that document innovative work performed -Collaborate with team members on debugging, reviewing papers/proposals, etc. -Participate in relevant internal and customer meetings, including overnight travel -Support Principal Investigators and Program Managers in the development of program documentation and other tasking Required Qualifications: Active TS clearance Must be willing to work onsite 75-85% of time Strong background in cryptology (cryptography and cryptanalysis), primarily the mathematical/computational underpinnings 2 years direct experience in developing/analyzing cryptographic algorithms Familiarity with cryptographic primitives (both “classical” and PQC) MS in mathematics, computer science or related field Demonstrated proficiency in Python (or MATLAB) and C/C++

Closing date for applications:

Contact: Colette Bryan

More information: https://careers-riversideresearch.icims.com/jobs/3539/cryptographer/job?mode=view&mobile=false&width=754&height=500&bga=true&needsRedirect=false&jan1offset=-300&jun1offset=-240

We are proud to announce the winners of the 2024 IACR Test-of-Time Award for Asiacrypt.

The IACR Test-of-Time Award honors papers published at the 3 IACR flagship conferences 15 years ago which have had a lasting impact on the field.

The Test-of-Time award for Asiacrypt 2009 is awarded to the following two papers:

Fiat-Shamir with aborts:Applications to lattice and factoring-based signatures, by Vadim Lyubashevsky
For inventing the abort technique in the Fiat-Shamir transformation, which became the foundation of the NIST-standardized Dilithium lattice-based signature scheme.

Efficient public key encryption based on ideal lattices, by Damien Stehlé, Ron Steinfeld, Keisuke Tanaka and Keita Xagawa
For introducing the first efficient public-key encryption scheme with security based on the worst-case hardness of the approximate Shortest Vector Problem in structured ideal lattices.

This paper initiates the study of one-more unforgeability for multi-signatures and threshold signatures as a stronger security goal, ensuring that ℓ executions of a signing protocol cannot result in more than ℓ signatures. This notion is widely used in the context of blind signatures, but we argue that it is a convenient way to model strong unforgeability for other types of distributed signing protocols. We provide formal security definitions for one-more unforgeability (OMUF) and show that the HBMS multi-signature scheme does not satisfy this definition, whereas MuSig and MuSig2 do. We also show that mBCJ multi-signautres do not satisfy OMUF, as well as expose a subtle issue with their existential unforgeability (which does not contradict their original security proof). For threshold signatures, we show that FROST satisfies OMUF, but ROAST does not.

We explore the use of distributed differentially private computations across multiple servers, balancing the tradeoff between the error introduced by the differentially private mechanism and the computational efficiency of the resulting distributed algorithm.

We introduce the linear-transformation model, where clients have access to a trusted platform capable of applying a public matrix to their inputs. Such computations can be securely distributed across multiple servers using simple and efficient secure multiparty computation techniques.

The linear-transformation model serves as an intermediate model between the highly expressive central model and the minimal local model. In the central model, clients have access to a trusted platform capable of applying any function to their inputs. However, this expressiveness comes at a cost, as it is often expensive to distribute such computations, leading to the central model typically being implemented by a single trusted server. In contrast, the local model assumes no trusted platform, which forces clients to add significant noise to their data. The linear-transformation model avoids the single point of failure for privacy present in the central model, while also mitigating the high noise required in the local model.

We demonstrate that linear transformations are very useful for differential privacy, allowing for the computation of linear sketches of input data. These sketches largely preserve utility for tasks such as private low-rank approximation and private ridge regression, while introducing only minimal error, critically independent of the number of clients. Previously, such accuracy had only been achieved in the more expressive central model.

Multi-input Attribute-Based Encryption (ABE) is a generalization of key-policy ABE where attributes can be independently encrypted across several ciphertexts, and a joint decryption of these ciphertexts is possible if and only if the combination of attributes satisfies the policy of the decryption key. We extend this model by introducing a new primitive that we call Multi-Client ABE (MC-ABE), which provides the usual enhancements of multi-client functional encryption over multi-input functional encryption. Specifically, we separate the secret keys that are used by the different encryptors and consider the case that some of them may be corrupted by the adversary. Furthermore, we tie each ciphertext to a label and enable a joint decryption of ciphertexts only if all ciphertexts share the same label. We provide constructions of MC-ABE for various policy classes based on SXDH. Notably, we can deal with policies that are not a conjunction of local policies, which has been a limitation of previous constructions from standard assumptions.

Subsequently, we introduce the notion of Multi-Client Predicate Encryption (MC-PE) which, in contrast to MC-ABE, does not only guarantee message-hiding but also attribute-hiding. We present a new compiler that turns any constant-arity MC-ABE into an MC-PE for the same arity and policy class. Security is proven under the LWE assumption.