Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Award Overview Northeastern University received a $300,000 Project Grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Computer and Network Systems under the Computer and Information Science and Engineering (CFDA 47.070) program, effective July 1, 2026, with completion anticipated June 30, 2029. This collaborative research project addresses critical vulnerabilities in post-quantum cryptography by developing secure and efficient hardware architectures for CRYSTALS-KYBER, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST)-standardized key encapsulation mechanism.

Research Products and Deliverables The project delivers comprehensive research solutions organized around three interconnected research thrusts focused on building cryptographic implementations resistant to side-channel attacks (SCAs) and fault attacks (FAs). Thrust 1 systematically evaluates side-channel leakage in KYBER through domain adaptation and transfer learning techniques, designs realistic software-based SCAs, and assesses individual computation modules to guide countermeasure development. Thrust 2 advances practical fault attack defenses, while the overall initiative combines strong countermeasures with hardware acceleration to achieve both robust protection and operational efficiency. Project outcomes will include novel frameworks for securing next-generation cryptosystems in the quantum computing era, serving both commercial and national defense applications. Research findings will be disseminated through presentations, tutorials, and publications at conferences and workshops, contributing to workforce development and advancing the nation's cryptographic security posture.