Doctoral students in Fault-Resistant PQC Digital Signatures Implementations

Project description

Third-cycle subject: Information and Communication Technology

We are looking for two doctoral students to work on the project Fault-Resistant Software Implementations of Post-Quantum Digital Signatures, funded by Wallenberg AI, Autonomous Systems and Software Program (WASP)

At present, there are no effective methods for protecting cryptographic algorithms’ implementations from fault attacks, in which an adversary deliberately injects faults into cryptographic computations to extract sensitive information. This project aims to address this important open problem, with a particular focus on candidates in the ongoing NIST post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standardization process for additional PQC digital signature algorithms. We intend to take into account the impact of fault attacks on cryptographic implementation security both destructively (by devising new types of attacks) and constructively (by designing countermeasures). The overarching challenge is to create defense mechanisms that can withstand fault attacks as the adversary's capabilities grow. By considering mathematical and electrical engineering problems together, the project is expected to create PQC digital signature implementations in which fault attack resistance is incorporated at the design stage rather than patched in later, when a vulnerability is discovered.

The selected candidates are expected to investigate the use of advanced machine learning technologies to enhance both the analysis and mitigation of fault attacks. The acquired knowledge will be used to develop new vulnerability assessment methods and design countermeasures against fault attacks, along with supporting tools.

The work will be carried out in the Hardware Security group at KTH which currently includes five PhD students.

Supervision: Prof. Elena Dubrova and Prof. Carl-Mikael Zetterlingis proposed to supervise the doctoral student. Decisions are made on admission.

What we offer

• The possibility to study in a dynamic and international research environment in collaboration with industries and prominent universities from all over the world.
• A workplace with many employee benefits and monthly salary according to KTH’s Doctoral student salary agreement.
• The possibility to carry out research in a world-leading group in hardware security.
• A postgraduate education at an institution that is active and supportive in matters pertaining to working conditions, gender equality and diversity as well as study environment.
• Work and study in Stockholm, close to nature and the water.
• Guidance on relocating and settling in at KTH and in Sweden

Admission requirements

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Chapter 7, 39 § Swedish Higher Education Ordinance), the applicant must have basic eligibility in accordance with either of the following:

• passed a second cycle degree (for example a master's degree), or
• completed course requirements of at least 240 higher education credits, of which at least 60 second-cycle higher education credits, or
• acquired, in some other way within or outside the country, substantially equivalent knowledge

The successful candidates shall have knowledge of post-quantum cryptographic algorithms, expertise fault and side-channel attacks, experience in embedded systems, as well as practical skills in machine learning. This includes knowledge of essentials tools and platforms such as TensorFlow, etc.

In addition to the above, there is also a mandatory requirement for English equivalent to English B/6.

Selection

In order to succeed as a doctoral student at KTH you need to be goal oriented and persevering in your work. During the selection process, candidates will be assessed upon their ability to:

• independently pursue his or her work
• collaborate with others,
• have a professional approach and
• analyze and work with complex issues.

Applicants who have completed a course in hardware security as part of their academic curriculum will be given a priority.

Applicants whose bachelor/master thesis work was performed in the area of hardware security will be given a priority.

Applicants with published papers in high-ranked hardware security journals, conferences, or workshops will be given a priority. 

After the qualification requirements, great emphasis will be placed on personal skills. 

Target degree: Doctoral degree

Information regarding admission and employment

Only those admitted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total length of employment may not be longer than what corresponds to full-time doctoral education in four years' time. An employed doctoral student can, to a limited extent (maximum 20%), perform certain tasks within their role, e.g. training and administration. A new position as a doctoral student is for a maximum of one year, and then the employment may be renewed for a maximum of two years at a time.

Union representatives

Contact information for union representatives.

Doctoral section (Students’ union on KTH Royal Institute of Technology)

Contact information for doctoral section.

To apply for the position

Apply for the position and admission through KTH's recruitment system. It is the applicant’s responsibility to ensure that the application is complete in accordance with the instructions in the advertisement.

Applications must be received at the last closing date at midnight, CET/CEST (Central European Time/Central European Summer Time).

Applications must include the following elements:

• CV including your relevant professional experience and knowledge.
• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of fulfilled language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of originals must be certified.
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please provide a summary (abstract) and a web link to the full text.

Other information

Striving towards gender equality, diversity and equal conditions is both a question of quality for KTH and a given part of our values.

For information about processing of personal data in the recruitment process.

It may be the case that a position at KTH is classified as a security-sensitive role in accordance with the Protective Security Act (2018:585). If this applies to the specific position, a security clearance will be conducted for the applicant in accordance with the same law with the applicant's consent. In such cases, a prerequisite for employment is that the applicant is approved following the security clearance.

We firmly decline all contact with staffing and recruitment agencies and job ad salespersons.

Disclaimer: In case of discrepancy between the Swedish original and the English translation of the job announcement, the Swedish version takes precedence.