Secure PQC implementations, Cryptanalysis and Post-quantum Digital Trust

What is this call about?

The topic funds research on secure post-quantum cryptography implementations, cryptanalysis and post-quantum digital trust, including electronic identities. It is part of the call for actions indirectly managed by the ECCC.

What does this call fund?

Scope

The topic supports research on post-quantum cryptography (PQC). It is vital that implementations of PQC algorithms resist attacks such as side-channel and fault attacks, which deep learning may amplify, while current countermeasures carry a high performance cost. The security of PQC systems also needs to be assessed against new quantum algorithms and AI-supported attacks. A further area is digital trust in the post-quantum era, covering secure identities, data protection and access to essential services.

Technology areas (proposals address one)

• Solutions against implementation attacks that balance security, performance and cost, research into new and combined attacks, automated security testing frameworks and improved formal verification.
• Quantum hardness analysis, including the impact of new or improved quantum algorithms and AI-supported quantum attacks, and the design of new post-quantum schemes.
• Quantum-resistant schemes and protocols for privacy-friendly services, such as electronic identities, verification protocols, pseudonymous access and attestation, through new digital signatures and key encapsulation mechanisms.

Expected outcomes

Robust PQC implementations and automated tools to evaluate them, guidelines for countermeasures, better understanding of quantum hardness, and post-quantum schemes that support privacy-friendly applications and electronic identities.

When is the deadline?

15 September 2027 (314 days)

15 September 2027 (single-stage submission).