In 2023, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) announced its post-quantum cryptography (PQC) standards; CRYSTALS-Dilithium, Falcon and SPHINCS+ as digital signatures and CRYSTALS-Kyber as the key-encapsulation mechanism (KEM) (or put simply, encryption). These PQC standards are to replace today’s quantum-vulnerable cryptography algorithms, currently securing digital systems, to protect against emerging quantum computing threats. One of the main challenges in transitioning into such standards is to educate the current and future IT/Cybersecurity workforce about PQC, particularly around the practical aspects. In particular, the original proposers of the selected algorithms only provided the reference (and optimized) software implementations of them. The final NIST standard specifications will only be equipped with mathematical explanations and test vectors. Hence, there are not many custom-designed educational content, assessment, and practical tools for PQC. In this experience paper, we introduce and discuss our PQC educational program, PQC-Ed, targeted at industry and governmental IT/Cybersecurity professionals. PQC-Ed has significantly contributed to its participants’ learning and engagement by providing tailored high-quality content, hands-on assessments, and strategic planning, making them ready to develop evaluated transition plans for their organizations and/or governments. We have also created custom software interfaces for CRYSTALS-Kyber, the NIST PQC standard for KEM. Using the developed interface along with Open Quantum Safe (OQS) software library for OpenSSL, we bridge a gap in available educational tools for PQC training. This tool has shown to enhance the participants’ understanding of PQC’s practical applications and improve their engagement with highly technical cryptographic contents.

Thu 19 Feb

Displayed time zone: Central Time (US & Canada) change

15:40 - 17:00
Entangling K-12 Teachers, Undergrads, and Cyber Pros in Quantum ConceptsPapers at Meeting Room 100
Chair(s): Alexandra Vassar University of New South Wales, Sydney
15:40
20m
Talk
QuantAid: A Quiz-based Quantum Learning Platform for High-school and Undergraduate StudentsK12
Papers
16:00
20m
Talk
PQCIP: A Post-Quantum Cryptography Educational Program for Cybersecurity ProfessionalsGlobal
Papers
Ron Steinfeld Monash University, Muhammed F. Esgin Monash University, Nikai Jagganath Monash University, Amin Sakzad Monash University, Carsten Rudolph Monash University, James Boorman Monash University
16:20
20m
Talk
Quandray:Student Conceptions of Quantum Concepts from a Gameworld
Papers
David Gonzalez-Maldonado University of Chicago, Grace Williams University of Chicago, Emily Edwards Duke University, Danielle Harlow University of California at Santa Barbara, Diana Franklin University of Chicago
16:40
20m
Talk
Introducing Quantum Computing to K-12 Teachers through a Professional Development WorkshopK12
Papers
David Gonzalez-Maldonado University of Chicago, Emily Edwards Duke University, Diana Franklin University of Chicago