Quantum resource estimates for computing elliptic curve discrete logarithms

We give precise quantum resource estimates for Shor's algorithm to compute discrete logarithms on elliptic curves over prime fields. The estimates are derived from a simulation of a Toffoli gate network for controlled elliptic curve point addition, implemented within the framework of the quantum computing software tool suite LIQ$Ui|\rangle$. We determine circuit implementations for reversible modular arithmetic, including modular addition, multiplication and inversion, as well as reversible elliptic curve point addition. We conclude that elliptic curve discrete logarithms on an elliptic curve defined over an $n$-bit prime field can be computed on a quantum computer with at most $9n + 2\lceil\log_2(n)\rceil+10$ qubits using a quantum circuit of at most $448 n^3 \log_2(n) + 4090 n^3$ Toffoli gates. We are able to classically simulate the Toffoli networks corresponding to the controlled elliptic curve point addition as the core piece of Shor's algorithm for the NIST standard curves P-192, P-224, P-256, P-384 and P-521. Our approach allows gate-level comparisons to recent resource estimates for Shor's factoring algorithm. The results also support estimates given earlier by Proos and Zalka and indicate that, for current parameters at comparable classical security levels, the number of qubits required to tackle elliptic curves is less than for attacking RSA, suggesting that indeed ECC is an easier target than RSA.Comment: 24 pages, 2 tables, 11 figures. v2: typos fixed and reference added. ASIACRYPT 201

The Mathematics of Information Science

This paper describes a course, The Mathematics of Information Science, which was taught at Towson University in Spring 1998, 1999, and 2000. This course is the junior level interdisciplinary course of the Maryland Collaborative for Teacher Preparation program. The effectiveness of the course in teaching problem solving techniques and abstract mathematical ideas is documented. The students constructed their own knowledge from laboratory experiences involving digital logic circuits. They were subsequently challenged to abstract this knowledge and to find ways to solve progressively more difficult problems using these digital logic circuits. The mathematics of encoding and decoding information constituted the major mathematical content of the course. This course is shown to be effective in introducing prospective elementary and middle school teachers to abstract mathematical ideas and problem solving techniques

Improved quantum circuits for elliptic curve discrete logarithms

We present improved quantum circuits for elliptic curve scalar multiplication, the most costly component in Shor's algorithm to compute discrete logarithms in elliptic curve groups. We optimize low-level components such as reversible integer and modular arithmetic through windowing techniques and more adaptive placement of uncomputing steps, and improve over previous quantum circuits for modular inversion by reformulating the binary Euclidean algorithm. Overall, we obtain an affine Weierstrass point addition circuit that has lower depth and uses fewer $T$ gates than previous circuits. While previous work mostly focuses on minimizing the total number of qubits, we present various trade-offs between different cost metrics including the number of qubits, circuit depth and $T$-gate count. Finally, we provide a full implementation of point addition in the Q# quantum programming language that allows unit tests and automatic quantum resource estimation for all components.Comment: 22 pages, to appear in: Int'l Conf. on Post-Quantum Cryptography (PQCrypto 2020