Background

This second workshop took forward ideas generated in the first event which took place in May 2014.

It continued with the key aim to gain consensus in identifying the mathematical challenges in post-quantum cryptography and sought to progress with setting the agenda for future research directions.

These activities are set against a background that there is a realistic possibility in the medium term that the power of quantum computation will have the potential to compromise some cyber security systems. This event was part of the Post-Quantum Research initiative which aims to address challenges and directions for post-quantum cyber-security research now and in the future.

Aims

A key area is the need to develop and broaden the post quantum research community in the UK and a programme of activities is being developed in order to help address this. There is also a current need to develop classical cryptographic security into the schemes that are resistant to quantum computer attack.

In addition to leading researchers from the field, this workshop was open to a wider audience, including public and industrial stakeholders. It was of particular relevance to sectors such as defence and security, financial services, telecommunication and Internet of things.

Programme

The programme was developed in conjuction with outputs from the first workshop and those outputs were captured in a Draft Executive Summary document. This looks at a number of areas including what the current cyber security issues are, the mathematical challenges in quantum algorithms, challenges for mathematicians in cyber security arising out of quantum computing.