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Call key data
Transition towards Quantum-Resistant Cryptography
Call number
HORIZON-CL3-2022-CS-01-03
deadlines
Opening
01.07.2022
Deadline
16.11.2022 17:00
Funding rate
70 %
Call budget
€ 11,000,000.00
Estimated EU contribution per project
€ 3,500,000.00 - 6,000,000.00
Link to the call
Link to the submission
Call content
Call objectives
During the next decades the European Union should seize the opportunities that quantum technologies will bring. However, quantum technologies will also pose a significant risk to the security of our society. The advent of large-scale quantum computers will compromise much of modern cryptography, which is instrumental in ensuring cybersecurity and privacy of the digital transition. Any cryptographic primitive based on the integer factorization and/or the discrete logarithm problems will be vulnerable to large-scale quantum-powered attacks. The digital data/products/systems that derive their security ultimately from the abovementioned primitives will be compromised and must be upgraded -including their replacement when needed- to quantum-resistant cryptography. The massive scale of this foreseen upgrade shows that preparations are needed today in order to widely implement the relevant mitigations in the future. Many companies and governments cannot afford to have their protected communications/data decrypted in the future, even if that future is a few decades away. There is a need to advance in the transition to quantum-resistant cryptography.
Applicants should propose approaches to tackle the abovementioned challenges, with the goal to develop cryptographic systems that are secure against attacks using both quantum or/and classical computers. Proposals may also try to better understand the expected capabilities of quantum computers (e.g. novel relevant quantum algorithms) and to further assess their implications to cybersecurity.
The proposed actions responding to this topic should take stock of and build on the relevant outcomes from other research fields (such as mathematics, physics, electrical engineering) and actions (e.g. H2020 projects, NIST Post-Quantum Cryptography competition, efforts in ETSI), and are encouraged to plan engaging and cooperating with them to the extent possible. Participation of SMEs is encouraged.
Applicants should demonstrate innovative ways to design, build, and deploy the new quantum-resistant infrastructures (including relevant hardware, software and IT processes). This should include switching from nowadays infrastructures to the proposed new ones with practical migration paths, aiming to efficiently manage the total time needed and the total costs associated, while also paying attention to affordable energy consumption.
Applicants should look at the implementation of quantum-resistant algorithms on software as well as specific hardware, such as. resource constrained IoT devices, smart cards, high-speed field-programmable gate arrays.
Proposals should devise, develop and validate metrics, methodologies, conformity assessment tests and tools for assessing and quantifying the security and the privacy of the proposed systems and services. Furthermore, proposals should strive to encompass a thorough comprehensive security evaluation of the engineering and deploying of efficient and secure implementations of the proposed solutions. Due consideration should be given to countermeasures against side channel attacks.
Applicants should strive to use the most promising relevant cryptographic primitives as well as to adapt the used cryptographic protocols accordingly.
Proposals may analyse how to develop combined quantum-classical cryptographic solutions in Europe, for those use cases where these hybrid solutions might bring gains to the overall security. To this end, the analysis should take into account relevant actions in quantum cryptography (e.g. H2020 OpenQKD project, EuroQCI).
Proposals should validate their concept by exercising and deploying pilot demonstrators in relevant use cases. The demonstrators should include exercises on executing different migration strategies for real use cases and applications that would allow their implementation in large-scale, complex systems. Lessons learned from the exercises should be transformed into practical, multidisciplinary guidelines that support entities to plan and execute their own migration, considering the technical, the economical and legal contexts.
For expanding the proposed work in terms of including additional quantum-resistant infrastructures, additional pilot sites, additional countries and users the actions may involve financial support to third parties in line with the conditions set out in Part B of the General Annexes. Each consortium will define the selection process of the third parties for which financial support will be granted (typically in the order of EUR 50 000 to 300 000 per party). Up to 20% of the EU funding requested by the proposal may be allocated to the purpose of financial support to third parties.
In this topic the integration of the gender dimension (sex and gender analysis) in research and innovation content is not a mandatory requirement.
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Expected results
- Measuring, assessing and standardizing/certifying future-proof cryptography
- Addressing gaps between the theoretical possibilities offered by quantum resistant cryptography and its practical implementations
- Quantum resistant cryptographic primitives and protocols encompassed in security solutions
- Solutions and methods that could be used to migrate from current cryptography towards future-proof cryptography
- Preparedness for secure information exchange and processing in the advent of large-scale quantum attacks
Eligibility Criteria
Regions / countries for funding
Moldova (Moldova), Albania (Shqipëria), Armenia (Հայաստան), Bosnia and Herzegovina (Bosna i Hercegovina / Босна и Херцеговина), Faeroes (Føroyar / Færøerne), Georgia (საქართველო), Iceland (Ísland), Kosovo (Kosova/Kosovë / Косово), Montenegro (Црна Гора), Morocco (المغرب), North Macedonia (Северна Македонија), Norway (Norge), Serbia (Srbija/Сpбија), Tunisia (تونس /Tūnis), Türkiye, Ukraine (Україна), United Kingdom
eligible entities
EU Body, Education and training institution, International organization, Non-Profit Organisation (NPO) / Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), Other, Private institution, incl. private company (private for profit), Public Body (national, regional and local; incl. EGTCs), Research Institution incl. University, Small and medium-sized enterprise (SME)
Mandatory partnership
Yes
Project Partnership
Participation is limited to legal entities established in Member States and associated countries. Proposals including legal entities which are not established in these countries will be ineligible. Legal entities forming a consortium are eligible to participate in actions provided that the consortium includes:
- at least one independent legal entity established in a Member State;and
- at least two other independent legal entities, each established in different Member States or Associated Countries.
eligible non-EU countries:
- countries associated to Horizon Europe
- low-and middle-income countries
Legal entities which are established in countries not listed above will be eligible for funding if provided for in the specific call conditions, or if their participation is considered essential for implementing the action by the granting authority.
other eligibility criteria
Activities are expected to achieve TRL 6 by the end of the project.
Beneficiaries may provide financial support to third parties in the form of grants. The maximum amount to be granted to each third party is EUR 300 000 to support the expected outcomes of the topic, for example measuring, assessing and standardizing/certifying future-proof cryptography.
Additional information
Topics
UN Sustainable Development Goals (UN-SDGs)
Additional Information
Proposal page limits and layout:
The application form will have two parts:
-
Part A to be filled in directly online (administrative information, summarised budget, call-specific questions, etc.)
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Part B to be downloaded from the Portal submission system, completed and re-uploaded as a PDF in the system; page limit: 70 pages
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