Research Areas
Fundamental tools and applications
Quantum mechanics enables fundamental new cryptographic rules previously impossible in classical cryptography. For example, the rules of quantum mechanics dictate that a quantum system cannot be observed without being disrupted. This means that the very nature of quantum mechanics can be used to protect quantum communications.
- Discovering and developing assumptions that would allow for computationally secure quantum-safe primitives
- Quantum algorithms for the computational problems underlying proposed “post-quantum” cryptography
- “Unconditionally” or “information theoretically” secure “classical” tools that remain secure against quantum adversaries
- Fundamentally new cryptographic primitives not possible in a classical paradigm that are enabled by quantum technologies
![Picture of Gilles Brassard](/uploads/people/GillesBrassard.jpg)
INTRIQ, Montréal
![Picture of Anne Broadbent](/uploads/people/Anne_Broadbent1.jpg)
Ottawa
![Picture of Andrew Childs](/uploads/people/AndrewChilds.jpg)
QuICS, Maryland
![Picture of Claude Crépeau](/uploads/people/ClaudeCrepeau.jpg)
INTRIQ, McGill
![Picture of Ian Goldberg](/uploads/people/IanGoldberg.jpg)
CACR, Waterloo
![Picture of Daniel Gottesman](/uploads/people/DanielGottesman.jpg)
Perimeter Institute
![Picture of David Jao](/uploads/people/DavidJao.png)
CACR, Waterloo
![Picture of Stephen Jordan](/uploads/people/StephenJordan.jpg)
QuICS, NIST
![Picture of Debbie Leung](/uploads/people/DebbieLeung.jpg)
IQC, Waterloo
![Picture of Yi-Kai Liu](/uploads/people/picture-89-1440620191.jpg)
QuICS, NIST
![Picture of Norbert Lütkenhaus](/uploads/people/NorbertLutkenhaus.jpg)
IQC, Waterloo
![Picture of Alfred Menezes](/uploads/people/AlfredMenezes.jpg)
CACR, Waterloo
![Picture of Michele Mosca](/uploads/people/MicheleMosca.jpg)
IQC, Waterloo
![Picture of Renato Renner](/uploads/people/RenatoRenner.jpeg)
ETH Zurich
![Picture of Rei Safavi-Naini](/uploads/people/ReiSafaviNaini.jpg)
ISPIA, Calgary
![Picture of Louis Salvail](/uploads/people/LouisSalvail.jpg)
INTRIQ, Montréal
![Picture of Douglas Stinson](/uploads/people/DouglasStinson.jpg)
CACR, Waterloo
![Picture of William Whyte](/uploads/people/WilliamWhyte.png)
Security Innovation
![Picture of Hugh Williams](/uploads/people/HughWilliams.jpg)
Calgary
Implementation of tools
Developing and applying quantum technology is an important step in creating cryptographic tools for the future. Large-scale deployment of quantum cryptography devices and other quantum technologies will require collaboration between mathematicians, physicists and engineers.
- Achieving global distances for quantum cryptography
- Improving the performance of quantum cryptography technologies
- Faster processing of photon signals, developing new error correcting codes to improve key rates, etc.
- Developing secure physical implementations of quantum devices, and developing objective methods for certifying they meet appropriate standards
- Efficient implementation of “post-quantum” classical cryptography
![Picture of Chip Elliott](/uploads/people/ChipElliott.jpg)
Raytheon BBN Technologies
![Picture of Guang Gong](/uploads/people/GuangGong.jpg)
CACR, Waterloo
![Picture of Thomas Jennewein](/uploads/people/ThomasJennewein.jpg)
IQC, Waterloo
![Picture of Norbert Lütkenhaus](/uploads/people/NorbertLutkenhaus.jpg)
IQC, Waterloo
![Picture of Alfred Menezes](/uploads/people/AlfredMenezes.jpg)
CACR, Waterloo
![Picture of Michele Mosca](/uploads/people/MicheleMosca.jpg)
IQC, Waterloo
![Picture of Barry Sanders](/uploads/people/BarrySanders.jpg)
IQIS, Calgary
![Picture of Christoph Simon](/uploads/people/ChristophSimon.jpg)
IQIS, Calgary
![Picture of Hugh Williams](/uploads/people/HughWilliams.jpg)
Calgary
Deploying and integrating quantum-safe systems
By gaining a deeper understanding of how quantum cryptography and conventional cryptography interact and combine, systems resistant to quantum technologies can be developed and integrated into a larger cryptographic tools. This knowledge will allow us to recognize how to develop secure larger systems, such as global multi-user quantum networks.
- Proof methods for guaranteeing security of systems using new quantum-safe tools
- Developing a deeper understanding of how the security guarantees of QKD interact with the provable security guarantees of conventional cryptography, and what practical assurances are offered when these pieces are combined
- Achieving global quantum communication networks with multi-user connectivity
- New tools and protocols to optimize network performance without compromising security
![Picture of Reza Azarderakhsh](/uploads/people/Reza.jpg)
FAU
![Picture of Ian Goldberg](/uploads/people/IanGoldberg.jpg)
CACR, Waterloo
![Picture of Thomas Jennewein](/uploads/people/ThomasJennewein.jpg)
IQC, Waterloo
![Picture of Debbie Leung](/uploads/people/DebbieLeung.jpg)
IQC, Waterloo
![Picture of Norbert Lütkenhaus](/uploads/people/NorbertLutkenhaus.jpg)
IQC, Waterloo
![Picture of Alfred Menezes](/uploads/people/AlfredMenezes.jpg)
CACR, Waterloo
![Picture of Renato Renner](/uploads/people/RenatoRenner.jpeg)
ETH Zurich
![Picture of Louis Salvail](/uploads/people/LouisSalvail.jpg)
INTRIQ, Montréal
![Picture of Barry Sanders](/uploads/people/BarrySanders.jpg)
IQIS, Calgary
![Picture of Christoph Simon](/uploads/people/ChristophSimon.jpg)
IQIS, Calgary
![Picture of Douglas Stebila](/uploads/people/DouglasStebila.jpg)
Univ of Waterloo
![Picture of Alain Tapp](/uploads/people/AlainTapp.jpg)
INTRIQ, Montréal