Doctoral student in Remote Fault Attacks on Cryptographic Algorithms

Projektbeskrivning

Forskarutbildningsämne: INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY

Currently, there are no effective methods for protecting implementations of cryptographic algorithms against error attacks, where an attacker consciously injects errors in cryptographic calculations to extract sensitive information. The project aims to attack this important open problem, with a particular focus on remote attacks. We intend to study how error attacks affect the safety of cryptographic implementations from both an offensive and a defensive perspective. By taking into account mathematical and electrotechnical problems in a context, the project is expected to contribute to the development of cryptographic implementations where resistance to error attacks is already built in the design stage, rather than handled afterwards when a vulnerability has been discovered.

The selected candidates are expected to investigate how advanced machine learning techniques can be used to improve both the analysis and the limitation of error attacks. The insights obtained will be used to develop new methods for vulnerability evaluation and design countermeasures against error attacks, along with associated support tools.

The work will be carried out in the hardware security group at KTH, which is currently in five doctoral students.

The project is financed by the Swedish Research Council.

Tutorial:Prof. Elena Dubrova and Prof. Carl-Mikael Zetterling

Eligibility for admission

To be admitted to postgraduate education (Cape 7 39 § The Higher Education Ordinance) is required basic eligibility:

• disposed a degree at advanced level, or
• Fulfilled course claims on at least 240 High school credits, at least 60 High school credits at advanced level, or
• In any other way within or outside the country, equivalent knowledge is mainly acquired.

The special eligibility requirements include knowledge of cryptographic algorithms, expertise in error attacks and side channel attacks, experience of embedded systems, as well as practical skills in machine learning, including knowledge of basic tools and platforms such as TensorFlow with several

In addition to the above there is also a mandatory requirement in English corresponding to English B / 6.

Selection

To succeed with your doctoral studies on KTH, you need to be targeted and persistent in your work. In the case of selection, the ability is assessed to:

• independently pursue his work ahead,
• able to cooperate with others,
• have a professional approach,
• analyze and work with complex issues as well as
• Communicate research results effectively in writing and through presentations.

Applicants who have completed a course in hardware security as part of its academic curriculum will be prioritized.

Applicants whose candidate / master thesis was performed in the field of hardware security will be prioritized.

Applicants with published articles in top-ranked hardware security magazines, conferences or workshops will be prioritized.

After the eligibility requirements, great emphasis will be added to personal qualities.

Målexamen: PhD

Information about admission and employment

Only the one who has been adopted to postgraduate education may be employed as a doctoral student. The total employment period may not be longer than that corresponds to education at full-time postgraduate for four years. An employee doctoral student can to a limited extent (at most 20 %) perform certain tasks within eg. education and administration. A new employment as a doctoral student applies for a maximum of one year, the employment may then be renewed by a maximum of two years at a time.

As a doctoral student, you get part of KTH's employment benefits and has a monthly salary according to KTH's doctoral salary agreement. Read more about research studies at KTH | KTH | Sweden.

Union representatives

Contact information to union representatives.

Doctoral Section (Technical College Student Union)

Contact information to doktorandsektionen.

Application

You apply via KTH's recruitment system. You as applicants have the main responsibility for your application complete when submitted.

Application should contain

• Copies of diplomas and grades from previous university studies and certificates of language requirements (see above). Translations into English or Swedish if the original document is not issued in one of these languages. Copies of original should be renamed
• CV with relevant professional experiences and knowledge.
• Application letter with a brief account of why you want to pursue research studies, about your academic interests and how they relate to your previous studies and future goals. (Max 2 pages)
• Representative publications or technical reports. For longer documents, please attach a summary (Abstract) and a web link to the full text.

The application must be received by KTH no later than the last application date at midnight, CET / CEST (Central European Time / Central European Summer Time).

Other

For information on the processing of personal data in connection with recruitment.

It may occur that an employment of KTH is located in a safety class. If this is the case for this particular employment, a security review of applicants is made in accordance with the security law (2018: 585) after consent. In these cases, a prerequisite for employment is that applicants will be approved after security testing.

We abandon us direct contact with staffing and recruitment companies and salesman of job ads.

Become part of kth

KTH forms the future through education, research and innovation. As a leading international technical university, we play an active role in driving and participating in the transition to a sustainable society. Here you are offered the opportunity to grow and develop in a creative and dynamic workplace with good working conditions and benefits. Gender equality, diversity and equal conditions are a quality issue and an obvious part of KTH's values as a university and state authority.

Read more about our benefits and how it is to work and develop at KTH.