SaTC: EDU: A Curriculum for Quantum Security and Trust

在解决某些类型的问题时，量子计算比传统计算要快得多，包括那些在密码学中的应用。加密技术用于保护大型数据中心的硬盘数据、通信通道和用户敏感数据不被窃听、误用和篡改。使用量子计算机对这些系统进行网络攻击有可能暴露各种各样的用户数据，使价值数万亿美元的数据处于危险之中。计算机科学领域的量子计算课程通常在理论层面介绍，很少强调使用真实量子硬件的实践活动。物理领域的量子计算课程侧重于材料的量子力学特性。与此同时，工业界正在生产噪声中等规模的量子计算机，为量子计算的实际应用研究铺平道路，包括使用现成的算法来解决与密码学相关的问题，这是目前量子计算课程中未涉及的领域。因此，课程作业和行业进步之间的差距越来越大，需要解决这个问题，以确保有足够熟练的劳动力准备好应对随着量子计算变得更广泛而出现的机遇和威胁。该项目希望通过开发一种灵活、便携、易于采用的课程来解决这一差距，并推进网络安全教育。该项目旨在为本科生创建一个实践课程，使用量子安全与信任（QUEST）框架，让学生将他们新获得的知识立即应用到学习过程中。拟议的课程以QUEST框架上的活动和游戏为基础，以加强相关概念。学生将在QUEST上创建各种电路，并在模拟和实际量子硬件上验证它们。由于基于云的量子硬件和模拟器的访问，这种方法应该能够以低成本实现个性化学习。它还希望通过实践活动促进复杂量子计算概念的自我学习。建议的课程可以由本科学生以最少的先决知识选修。因此，大量本科生可以在职业生涯的早期接触到量子计算和网络安全。该项目由安全与可信网络空间（SaTC）计划支持，该计划资助解决网络安全和隐私问题的提案，在这种情况下，特别是网络安全教育。SaTC项目与《联邦网络安全研究与发展战略计划》和《国家隐私研究战略》保持一致，旨在保护和维护网络系统日益增长的社会和经济效益，同时确保安全和隐私。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Quantum computing is significantly faster than its classical counterparts at solving certain types of problems, including those with applications in cryptography. Encryption is used to protect hard disk data, communication channels, and sensitive user data in large scale data centers from eavesdropping, misuse, and tampering. The use of quantum computers to carry out cyberattacks on these systems has the potential to expose a wide variety of user data placing data worth trillions of dollars at risk. Quantum computing courses presented in the computer science domain are typically introduced at a theoretical level with little emphasis on hands-on activities using real quantum hardware. Courses addressing quantum computing in the physics domain focus on quantum mechanical properties of materials. Meanwhile, industry is producing Noisy-Intermediate-Scale-Quantum computers paving the way for research on practical applications of quantum computing, including using off-the-shelf algorithms to solve problems related to cryptography, which are areas not currently covered in quantum computing courses . As a result, there is a widening gap between coursework and industry advancement that needs to be addressed to ensure there is an adequately skilled workforce prepared to address the opportunities and threats that will arise as quantum computing becomes more widely accessible. This project hopes to address this gap and to advance cybersecurity education through the development of a flexible and portable course that can be easily adopted.This project intends to create a hands-on curriculum for undergraduate students, using the Quantum Security and Trust (QUEST) framework, to allow students to apply their newly acquired knowledge immediately as part of the learning process. The proposed curriculum rests on activities and games on the QUEST framework to reinforce relevant concepts. The students will create various circuits on QUEST and validate them in simulations and on real quantum hardware. This approach should enable personalized learning at low cost due to cloud-based access to quantum hardware and a simulator. It also hopes to facilitate self-learning of complex quantum computing concepts through hands-on activities. The proposed course can be taken by undergraduate students with minimal prerequisite knowledge. Therefore, a large population of undergraduate students can be exposed to quantum computing and cybersecurity early in their career. This project is supported by the Secure and Trustworthy Cyberspace (SaTC) program, which funds proposals that address cybersecurity and privacy, and in this case specifically cybersecurity education. The SaTC program aligns with the Federal Cybersecurity Research and Development Strategic Plan and the National Privacy Research Strategy to protect and preserve the growing social and economic benefits of cyber systems while ensuring security and privacy.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.