08.12.2025 16:45-18:15
N1005ZG, Seminarraum
, In case of a large course size, the class is split into groups for the second presentation training. This is the time slot for the second group.
See TUMonline
Note: Please register on the waiting list and select a topic on www.sec.ei.tum.de. When the
Selection is cofiremed by the responsible supervisor, you will receive a fixed place.
Objectives
After successful completion of the module, students have knowledge on current problems and hot topics in the field of security of systems for information technology.
Afterwards, the students is capable to carry out scientific work on up-to-date topics in the field of security of systems for information technology, to write scientific papers, and to asses the value of scientific papers. Furthermore, students are able to present the acquired knowledge to a scientific audience by a talk.
Description
Topics on secuirty of systems for information technology with varying focus:
Students of this modul work independently on current scientific topics and write a scientific report. Finally, a presentation of the results of the work is given to all module participants. The understanding of the topic is deepened by intensive discussion.
Prerequisites
The following modules should be passed before selecting this module:
- Kryptologie or similar base-level course
Additionally, the following courses are recommended:
- Sichere Implementierung kryptographischer Verfahren
- Selected Topics in System Security
Teaching and learning methods
An individual subject-specific task has to be solved by each participant autonomously.
With all tasks, a specific supervisor is associated who supports the participant. The support especially focuses on the beginning of the seminar where the supervisor helps the assigned participant to become acquainted with the topic and to find reasonable literature to start with. Supervisors will also provide hints to solve the task and to prepare the paper and the presentation.
Furthermore, a presentation training will be carried out and an introduction to scientific writing will be offered.
Examination
Modul exam with following parts:
- Written report about given topic (50%).
- 30-minute presentation and discussion of the given topic (50%)
This seminar is provided every winter semester. It is part of the regular MSCE program and is held in English.
Up to 15 participants can be accepted for the course.
Attendance during all seminar dates is obligatory.
We offer two 1.5 hour seminars on presentation techniques as well as one 1.5 hour seminar on scientific writing.
Below you can find a list of currently available topics. If you are interested in one of these topics, please contact the corresponding supervisor using the link next to the topic. You might also suggest your own topic.
Topics for the next semester will be available on this side approx. one month before the beginning of the lecture period. Students on the waiting list in TUMonline will be informed when the topics are online.
The core of most ciphers and hash functions is a small substitution table, the S-Box, which provides the confusion and diffusion needed for a good cryptographic security. While such table look-ups are trivial in software, the efficient implementation in hordware modules is still and open question. Various heuristics have been proposed to minimize the area and latency of such almost random circuits.
The task of this seminar is to present and compare several such algorithms.
[1] Y. Jeon et al.: Framework for Generating S-Box Circuits with Boyar–Peralta Algorithm-Based Heuristics, https://tches.iacr.org/index.php/TCHES/article/view/11940/11800
Blockchain in the Quantum Era: Surveying Security Challenges and Post-Quantum Cryptography
Description
In this seminar topic, the student will study the impact of quantum computing on blockchain technology and analyze the role of post-quantum cryptographic primitives in mitigating these threats. Based on the recommended paper “Blockchain in the Quantum Era: Surveying Security Challenges and Post-Quantum Cryptography” [1] by Ramzan and Cimato, the student will investigate:
The main vulnerabilities of current blockchain cryptographic components (signatures, hashing, consensus) against quantum algorithms such as Shor’s and Grover’s.
The requirements and challenges of integrating PQC into blockchain infrastructures, with special attention to performance trade-offs (e.g., transaction size, throughput, decentralization).
The implications for major platforms (Bitcoin, Ethereum, Monero, Zcash) and potential future designs for quantum-secure blockchains.
The student will summarize findings in a scientific article and presentation. Additional relevant literature beyond the provided paper should be included to build a well-founded perspective.
[1] Muhammad Taha Ramzan and Stelvio Cimato, Blockchain in the Quantum Era: Surveying Security Challenges and Post-Quantum Cryptography, in 2025 IEEE 49th Annual Computers, Software, and Applications Conference (COMPSAC), Toronto, ON, Canada, July 2025. https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/abstract/document/11126739
