LMS: Lighter, Faster Key Generation for Post-Quantum Cryptography

Explore the Leighton-Micali Signature (LMS) system, a post-quantum signature algorithm standardized by NIST, in this 22-minute conference talk. Dive into the challenges of LMS key generation, which involves computing numerous hashes and representing large Merkle trees in memory. Learn about the trade-offs between sequential, high-memory approaches for optimal signature speed and the prohibitively slow and resource-intensive key generation process. Discover how to accelerate LMS key generation using SIMD hashing by adapting the low-memory iterative algorithm from RFC8554. Gain insights into algorithms that balance signature speed with compact private key representations in memory. Presented by Francisco José Vial-Prado, Senior Cryptography Engineer at Fortanix, this talk offers valuable knowledge for cryptography professionals and enthusiasts interested in post-quantum cryptography and efficient implementation techniques.