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Jakub Szefer
Principal Investigator
Northwestern University
I'm working on
2 days ago
Research at the intersection of quantum computing and security: protecting quantum computers from side-channel and cloud-based attacks, building side-channel-resistant hardware for NIST post-quantum algorithms, and helping organizations migrate to quantum-safe cryptography.
I'm looking for
2 days ago
Part-time consulting engagements with companies preparing for the quantum era: post-quantum cryptography readiness and migration, hardware security reviews, quantum computing security assessments, and expert training for technical and executive teams.
About
I am an Associate Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Northwestern University (PhD, Princeton), where I lead the Computer Architecture and Security Lab. My expertise spans post-quantum cryptography and its hardware implementation, quantum computing security, side-channel attacks, secure processor architectures, and FPGA and device security. I am part of the Classic McEliece team in NIST’s post-quantum standardization process and author of “Principles of Secure Processor Architecture Design.” I help companies assess quantum-era risk to long-lived IP, plan and implement post-quantum migrations, protect proprietary work on cloud quantum platforms, and find hardware vulnerabilities that software reviews miss.
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Jakub Szefer
Northwestern University

Hardware Security Assessment: Side Channels, Secure Processors, Trusted Execution, FPGAs, and Connected Devices

Many of the most serious security failures happen below the software layer, where standard penetration tests and code reviews don’t look. Side-channel attacks through caches, timing, power, and shared hardware can leak k...

Consulting serviceUniversity
Jakub Szefer
Northwestern University

Quantum Computing Security & IP Protection: Risk Assessment for Companies Running Workloads on Cloud Quantum Platforms

R&D teams in pharma, chemicals, materials, and finance are starting to run proprietary simulations and optimization problems on cloud-based quantum computers. These systems are shared, remotely accessed, and built on new...

Consulting serviceUniversity
Jakub Szefer
Northwestern University

Post-Quantum Cryptography in Hardware: Implementation, Optimization & Side-Channel Review for Chips, FPGAs, and Embedded Devices

Moving to post-quantum cryptography is hardest where cryptography runs in hardware. The new NIST algorithms (ML-KEM, ML-DSA, SLH-DSA, and HQC) have much larger keys and signatures and very different computational profile...

Consulting serviceUniversity
Jakub Szefer
Northwestern University

Post-Quantum Cryptography Readiness: Risk Assessment & Migration Roadmap

Sensitive research data stolen today can be decrypted once powerful quantum computers arrive, a threat known as “harvest now, decrypt later.” For R&D organizations, that puts formulations, genomic and clinical data, proc...

Consulting serviceUniversity
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Jakub Szefer
Principal Investigator
Northwestern University
Work experience
Principal Investigator
Top industry applications
Cybersecurity & data protectionQuantum computing systems & platformsSemiconductor design & architecture
Open to opportunities in
Computer ArchitectureCybersecurityQuantum ComputingSecurity
Last updated Oct 2026
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