SELECTED TOPICS IN QUANTUM AND POST-QUANTUM CRYPTOGRAPHY

In 1994 when Peter Shor released his namesake algorithm for factoring and solving the discrete logarithm problem he changed cryptography forever. Many of the state-of-the-art cryptosystems for internet and other computerized communications will become obsolete with the advent of quantum computers. Two distinct approaches have grown to avoid the downfall of secure communication: quantum cryptography which is based in physics and information theory, and post-quantum cryptography which uses mathematical foundations believed not to be weak against even quantum assisted adversaries. This thesis is the culmination of several studies involving cryptanalysis of schemes in both the quantum and post-quantum paradigms as well as mathematically founded constructions in the post-quantum regime.
The first two chapters of this thesis on background information are intended for the reader to more fully grasp the later chapters. The third chapter shows an attack and ultimate futility of a variety of related quantum authentication schemes. The fourth chapter shows a parametric improvement over other state-of-the-art schemes in lattice based cryptography by utilizing a different cryptographic primitive. The fifth chapter proposes an attack on specific parameters of a specific lattice-based cryptographic primitive. Finally, chapter six presents a construction for a fully homomorphic encryption scheme adapted to allow for privacy enhanced machine learning.