New research group Cryptography and Cyber Security
Patrick Struck joined the Department of Computer and Information Science in September 2023 as head of the Cryptography and Cyber Security group.
Why did you decide to take up the position of a research group leader at University of Konstanz?
An interesting aspect for me was the lack of a cryptography group at University of Konstanz, which allows me to establish both research and teaching on the topic in Konstanz. Besides that, I am also interested in the opportunities for interdisciplinary research through the excellence clusters of the university.
What are your plans for your research group?
I am generally interested in the security of cryptographic algorithms. This means proving that breaking these algorithms is as difficult as breaking hard mathematical problems. An area that interests me in particular is so-called post-quantum cryptography. Here we rely on mathematical problems that are assumed to be hard even for quantum computers — in contrast to nowadays cryptography, like RSA, that can be broken by quantum computers. Together with my research group I want to do research on cryptographic algorithms that can withstand attacks with quantum computers.
Will the students benefit from your research group?
Yes! The students will get the opportunity to learn the basics of cryptography in my first lecture in summer term 2024. Through subsequent courses and thesis topics, there will also be opportunities to study more advanced topics in that area. Finally, there is also the opportunity to do a PhD for the students that want to dive deeper into the field of cryptography.