Schedule

  • 09:00 - 09:45 Arrival
  • 09:45 - 10:00: Opening remarks
  • 10:00 - 10:45: Sofia Celi: Threshold Post-Quantum Signatures
  • 10:45 - 11:15: Break
  • 11:15 - 12:00: Thalia Laing: Lessons from deploying LMS at scale
  • 12:00 - 13:30: Lunch
  • 13:30 - 14:15: Luciano Maino: Isogeny-based Cryptography made easy
  • 14:15 - 14:30: Short break
  • 14:30 - 15:15: Varun Maram: Feistel Tools: Query-Recording and Reprogramming for QRPs
  • 15:15 - 15:45: Break
  • 15:45 - 16:30: Ciara Rafferty: Securing PQC schemes in hardware
  • 16:30 - 17:00: Lightning Talks
  • 17:00 - 19:00: Reception

Registration

Registration is free but required. To register please click here.

Speakers and Talks

Speakers will include Sofía Celi, Thalia Laing, Luciano Maino, Varun Maram, and Ciara Rafferty.

Sofia Celi, Threshold Post-Quantum Signatures

Abstract. In this talk, we will discuss about threshold post-quantum signature, starting with an emphasis on MQ-based threshold signatures (looking at the Vinaigrette construction). We will highlight the shortcomings of trying to thresholdise MQ-based schemes, and show how these can be solved efficiently and concretely. Then, we will look at two new threshold signature schemes based on lattices: Hermine and Mithril. The first comes from a practical line of work and aims to be a real-world-usable threshold signature; the second aims to be a counterpart to the ML-DSA scheme. Through these constructions, we reflect on what makes a post-quantum threshold signature scheme practical and usable in the real world.

Thalia Laing, Lessons from deploying LMS at scale

Abstract. Stateful hash-based signatures such as LMS are standardised and well understood but deploying them at scale involves several practical challenges. In this talk, I’ll share lessons learnt from deploying LMS in hardware for firmware integrity protections. After outlining the use case, I’ll focus on the practicalities of deployment, including limitations in LMS implementations, certification and regulatory constraints and state management. I’ll also discuss how standards such as NIST SP 800-208 fit into real-world deployments, and the trade-off decisions between security, performance, and resilience. I’ll cover key design choices, including the use of LMS over XMSS, hybrid constructions, and parameter selection. Finally, I’ll outline how these lessons are shaping the next stage of our quantum resistant migration, and the challenges we expect to face next.

Bio. Dr Thalia Laing is a Principal Cryptographer and Security Researcher in the HP Security Lab. She works on applying cryptography in the design of security-critical systems, with a particular focus on hardware-rooted trust in endpoint devices. She works closely with product, firmware, and platform teams, as well as industry partners, to translate cryptographic standards into secure, deployable systems at scale. Thalia is currently driving HP’s migration to quantum resistant cryptography, and led the design of firmware protections deployed in HP business PCs and printers to address emerging quantum threats. Prior to joining HP, she completed a BSc in Mathematics at Imperial College London, and an MSc and a PhD at Royal Holloway, where she was based in the Information Security Group.

Luciano Maino, Isogeny-based Cryptography made easy

Abstract. In this talk, we will explore isogeny-based cryptography, a promising branch of post-quantum cryptography that has attracted significant attention in recent years due to its unique and appealing properties. Particular focus will be given to SQIsign, an isogeny-based digital signature scheme that is currently under consideration for standardisation. We will present SQIsign in an accessible way, explaining its core ideas and the underlying hardness assumption. We will then briefly compare it against other post-quantum signature schemes as well as against non-quantum-resistant alternatives. Finally, we will discuss some key challenges for its standardisation.

Varun Maram, Feistel Tools: Query-Recording and Reprogramming for QRPs

Abstract. In this talk, we will describe how the classic Feistel networks, introduced in the 70s, can still prove to be quite handy in the post-quantum era in-terms of extending proof techniques in the quantum random oracle model (QROM) — such as query-recording and reprogramming — to the quantum random permutation model (QRPM). Among other things, our new Feistel-inspired framework, or “Feistel toolkit”, enables us to prove post-quantum — and non-uniform/preprocessing — security of a recent variant of the Fiat-Shamir transformation based on duplex sponges [Chiesa and Orrù, TCC 2025] which is currently being considered for adoption in Signal.

Ciara Rafferty: Securing PQC schemes in hardware

Abstract. As we continue to transition to post-quantum cryptography (PQC), designing secure and practical hardware implementations is a significant challenge. This talk will present some of our recent research from CSIT at Queen’s University Belfast on designing secure hardware architectures for PQC signature schemes.  More specifically, this talk will examine the design of key hardware building blocks for ML-KEM, a NIST-standardised PQC algorithm, and for QR-UOV, a multivariate signature scheme and a candidate from NIST’s third round of standardisation of additional signatures.  The talk will conclude by discussing practical implementation challenges and opportunities associated with these recent PQC schemes

Lightning talks

There will be a lightning talk session at the end of the day to present new results and make announcements (open positions, upcoming events, etc.). If you would like to give a lightning talk (max 3 minutes), please email sam.j.kelly.2020@bristol.ac.uk

Venue

Room 1.11
Merchant Venturers Building (MVB) 
University of Bristol
75 Woodland Rd, 
Bristol, BS8 1UB

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For advice on getting to Bristol, see the University’s How to get here guide.

Getting to room MVB 1.11

Room 1.11 is down one level from the entrance of MVB. There will be someone to welcome you at the entrance of MVB from 09:00am to 09:45am. If you arrive later than this, the room is signposted and there are reception staff at the entrance that can give directions. Any difficulties or questions, please email sam.j.kelly.2020@bristol.ac.uk (Sam) or nd24034@bristol.ac.uk (Leo).