Centre for Research on Cryptography and Security (CRoCS)
Contact: prof. RNDr. Vašek Matyáš, M.Sc., Ph.D.
Website: crocs.fi.muni.cz/
Centre for Research on Cryptography and Security enables both graduate and pregraduate students to gain practical experience with current security and crypto solutions and technologies. Students engage with ongoing projects and cutting-edge problems while working in a well-equipped laboratory environment. Research undertaken with our students resulted in practical impact like identifying RSA key generation bug (CVE-2017-15361) in billions of cryptographic devices ( RoCA ), breaking private key protection in certified smartcards and TPMs, implementing memory hard functions and support of full-disk encryption key management into the Linux kernel, etc.
The main areas of interest are user and data authentication, use and analysis of cryptographic constructions and implementations, and usable security. Specific research topics evolve continuously in line with current technological developments and the active research agenda of senior members – for an overview of current research projects/areas see this link.
The centre emphasizes practical experimentation. Students work with real-world systems, implement and evaluate security mechanisms, and analyse attack vectors in controlled lab settings. These activities are integrated into laboratory courses, industrial collaborations, and thesis projects.
The centre welcomes motivated students who want to contribute either through research or through hands-on implementation and technical support in applied security projects, often carried out in collaboration with companies within the FI industrial partnership framework and relevant governmental institutions.
