Securing the First Handshake: Post-Quantum Authentication for 6G Bootstrapping

About the Webinar

Every cellular connection begins with an act of trust.

When a device first connects to a cellular network, it selects a base station based largely on signal strength and relies on broadcast system information that is not authenticated. These initial broadcasts establish the foundation for everything that follows, creating opportunities for fake base stations, man-in-the-middle attacks, spoofed emergency alerts, and persistent tracking.

At the same time, the public-key cryptography used in today's cellular security infrastructure faces a long-term challenge from quantum computing.

This webinar will examine a fundamental question: How can we secure the very first handshake in a 6G connection?

Dr. Imtiaz Karim will discuss why simply replacing existing cryptographic mechanisms with NIST post-quantum signatures is not enough. In particular, he will show the practical challenges of deploying large post-quantum signatures within the strict broadcast constraints of cellular networks.