DeepSec 2022 Talk: Post-quantum Verkle Signature Scheme – Maksim Iavich

Sanna/ August 26, 2022/ Conference

We expect mass production of quantum computers in the near future. Quantum computers can easily break cryptographic schemes that are used in practice. Thus, classical encryption systems become vulnerable to attacks using quantum computers. There are research efforts to find encryption schemes that are resistant to attacks using quantum computers. Digital signatures are an important technology in securing the Internet and other IT infrastructures. A digital signature provides the authenticity, integrity, and identification of data. We use digital signatures in identification and authentication protocols. So, these secure digital signature algorithms are crucial in terms of IT security.

Today, in practice, digital signature algorithms such as RSA, DSA, ECDSA are used. However, they are not quantum stable, as their safety relies on large composite integers, complex factorization and the computation of discrete logarithms.

We asked Maksim Iavich a few more questions about his talk.

Please tell us the top 5 facts about your talk.

  1. Verkle tree is a new method and it is very important to conduct research on it.
  2. Verkle tree is very efficient, and it is important to integrate it into the existing products.
  3. A massive release of quantum computers is expected soon, the world must have the appropriate post-quantum encryption schemes.
  4. Verkle tree is more efficient than Merkle, therefore it is interesting to construct the digital schemes using it.
  5. It is very important to make the digital signatures with Verkle tree to be secure against the attacks of quantum computers.

How did you come up with it? Was there something like an initial spark that set your mind on creating this talk?

I am working on the construction of post-quantum encryption schemes. In many schemes, I used Merkle tree. After analyzing the white paper of Verkle tree I understood that we can use it as an alternative to Merkle tree in post-quantum digital signature schemes.

Why do you think this is an important topic?

I expected a massive release of quantum computers in the near future. Quantum computers will break the major part of existing crypto schemes. Therefore, it is very important to work on the creation of efficient encryption schemes, which are safe against attacks of quantum computers.

Is there something you want everybody to know – some good advice for our readers maybe?

Creating post-quantum digital signatures using Verkle tree is a novel approach, therefore I will be glad if other specialists continue to work on it after my talk as well. Let us make the digital world more secure together.

A prediction for the future – what do you think will be the next innovations or future downfalls when it comes to your field of expertise / the topic of your talk in particular?

According to my opinion, the epoch of quantum computers is very close. Quantum computers will bring a lot of innovations to our field. I think the field of Computer Science will be mainly focused on cyber security and artificial intelligence.
Maksim Iavich has a Ph.D. in mathematics and is a professor of computer science. In 2018, he was acknowledged as the best young scientist of Georgia in computer science. Maksim is an affiliate professor and the Head of cyber security direction at Caucasus University. He is also Head of the information technologies bachelor and of the IT management master programs. Since 2020, Maksim Iavich is an expert-evaluator at National Center for Education Quality Development of Georgia. Prof. Iavich is a Director of the Cyber Security Center, CST (CU), which is the official representative of BITSENTINEL in the region. He leads bachelor and master IT programs at this university. He is CEO & President of Scientific Cyber Security Association (SCSA). Maksim is cybersecurity consultant in Georgian and international organizations. He is a speaker at international cyber security conferences and is the organizer of many scientific cyber security events. He was the key speaker at Defcamp in 2018-2021. He has many scientific awards in the cyber security field. Maksim is the author of many scientific papers. The topics of the papers are cyber security, cryptography, post-quantum cryptography, quantum cryptography, mathematical models, and simulations.
FELLOWSHIPS AND AWARDS:
-2020 Scholar, DeepSec, Austria
-2019 Best paper award, IVUS-2019, Vytautas Magnus University, Lithuania
-2018–2019 The best young scientist of Georgia in computer science, Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia, Georgia
-2018 Best paper award, IVUS-2018, Vilnius University Kaunas Faculty, Lithuania
-2015 Scholarship of the young scientist, Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation of Georgia, Georgia
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